Miko's Music Stats 2020

I know I haven't been doing the "Most Shocking/Disappointing/WTF Asian Music Moments" in a few years, but I wanted to try something more personal and different. I haven't been the best at keeping up with music. In fact, I have a massive backlog on my iTunes library dating back to 2014/2015. It's really disgusting! Nonetheless, I have been listening to more Spotify to somewhat keep up with what's new. So, here's some stats from my last.fm [and Spotify].

Live: No Sleep Till Tokyo Tour

No Sleep Till Tokyo Tour

[2019.06.08] Scout Bar in Houston, TX
featuring: Miyavi
It's been 8 years since Miyavi has graced his presence in Houston and I made a last minute decision to check it out. I could ramble on and on about my relationship with Miyavi's musical track record, but that's a post for another day...and trust me, you'll definitely get one.

Before purchasing my friend and my ticket, I did preview 30 second samples of each track through his YouTube channel from his latest album, No Sleep Till Tokyo. I haven't been keeping up with Tokyo's "Samurai Guitarist" like I used to years ago, but I'm not completely oblivious to his activities. Miyavi continues to be an activist of the world and its children as well as experimenting with his own sound, which is something he's done for practically his whole career. Before listening to the previews, I had a good gist of what his current sound may be, which doesn't really make me jump out of my seat. Although, one thing that has been consistent about Miyavi, no matter what style or era he's playing, he always puts on a great show.

Instead of being stuck in the crowd, my friend and I decided to keep our little habit of standing or sitting on the sidelines. The perks of doing this is feeling the cool, fresh air; access to ice cold water (sometimes), you can clearly hear the artist over the crowd, you don't have to fight the 6 foot tall guy to see Miyavi and his crew, and plenty of room to dance or headbang.

As a blogger (and just overall introvert), it's pretty cool to witness the interactions between the audience and the artist. I always believed the chemistry between the artist and the fans during a show is very important. That key exchange can really set the tone for the whole show.

Without any opening act, Miyavi jumped right into it with positive energy and smiles all around. I was pretty excited to hear a familiar tune by the name of "Flashback" from the anime Kokkoku, a very high energy song. I've always enjoyed this song and made me want to watch the opening every time. It's a real bop as the kids say. Since I'm not familiar with a good portion of Miyavi's new material, I can easily describe it as energetic, electronic rock music for the people. Like I can see his music being easily digestible for the Western audience without sacrificing his Japanese aesthetics.

The last Miyavi show I attended, his style at the time heavily depended on instrumental moments that incorporated a catchy looping melody, drums, and slap guitar. While his current style still has instrumental breaks to show off his mad guitar skills, the songs don't heavily depend on them. Instead, these moments emphasis the message and tone of the lyrics, which was something I missed about Miyavi. I admit that he never had the most amazing singing voice, but his tone is uniquely him and always full of passion and energy. That factor is what brings life to his shows and feeds his audience.

The setlist mainly consisted of his newer tracks from No Sleep Till Tokyo with a sprinkle of anime contributions and slightly older tracks [that I actually recognize]. From what I can tell his MCs were in English, which is getting better and better with time. Of course, his fans were very encouraging and responsive to his words. He even jokingly played his "new song" for us and his Dallas fans the previous night, which ended up being "Deep in the Heart of Texas" [*clap**clap**clap**clap*]. It was amusing and everyone had a good chuckle.

The third act or encore, depending how you look at it, continued the intensity and liveliness throughout the whole night. I believe he replayed the title track of his new album, which invoked the perfect theme for the evening. In the end, I'm glad I made such a good last minute decision to attend. Once again I can say that Miyavi never disappoints live. Even when things aren't perfect, his vibrate energy always manages to shine through!

Setlist from setlist.fm
Stars
Flashback
In Crowd
Rain Dance
No Sleep Till Tokyo
Samurai 45
Tears on Fire
Other Side
Guard You
We Can't Stop It
Under the Same Sky
Ha!
Strong
Fire Bird
Raise Me Up
DAY 1
Dancing With My Fingers
Fragile
The Others
WHAT'S MY NAME?

Most Shocking/Disappointing/WTF Asian Music Moments of 2015

NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST Cover Taylor Swift
A band I heavily got into in 2015 has been consistently pleasing to the ears, so far. When I heard the laughter and amused shock over their cover of Taylor Swift's "We are Never Getting Back Together", I was immediately interested in hearing it. I suppose this cover somewhat doesn't fit this list, but it was hard to pass it up. I enjoyed it a little more than the original. Not sure if it's because of its sheer ridiculousness or because it's actually good. Nonetheless, this heavy rock cover now exists in visual kei history.


Taguchi Junnosuke Withdraws From KAT-TUN
The last time I talked about KAT-TUN at any length is probably 2013's list when Koki Tanaka was booted out of the group. Last year, Junnosuke made his official statement to fans that he would be withdrawing from the group, leaving half of the members. I believe the group is going to continue making music, etc., but honestly, after Koki left I really think the group should disband and stick to their solo activities.




Daichi Miura gets married on New Year's
Japan's Little Soul Prince tied the knot at the beginning of 2015 and I was both surprised and very happy about the news. Perhaps the marriage was inspiration for Daichi's new upbeat material for his latest album, FEVER. Nonetheless, I hope him and his wife's relationship continue to blossom and that the media doesn't intrude. I'm also looking forward to more music in the coming year. Congratulations, Daichi Miura!




Rania Returns with 3 New Members
Rania was a group that caused a bit of controversy with their Teddy Riley produced "Dr. Feel Good" and while they did release a couple more singles before disappearing, I started to believe that the group had one of those silent disbandments like most kpop rookies. After much training and polishing, the girls returned with three new members and one of them stirred up excitement. While I wish I was part of this excitement and not the near tail end of news fizzle, Alex became the first African American in a kpop group. As exciting as that news was, fans were disappointed to see (or in this case, not see) her in their comeback video, "Demonstrate". Her rap is featured and later there was an edit that included Alex and an explanation for her lack of appearance that involved some work visa issues. Hopefully, we'll see more of Alex with Rania as well as an album in the near future.


Eli's Marriage and Pregnancy Announcement
Kpop's best kept secret or terrible lie is for you to decide. U-KISS is a group that South Korea constantly sleeps on, but international fans adore. As a group, they haven't done too much and Eli's probably one of my least favorite members, so I don't follow any of his social media. So, from my perspective, this was a bit of a surprise, but to fans, they seemed to have already speculated that Eli tied the knot. Now, we know that he's expecting his first child. News like this makes me happy and even happier that I didn't see fuming fans complaining about it. Congratulations, Eli!


Intetsu Retires from Music
Former bassist of Ayabie (and AYABIE and any other variations of spelling of the same band) announced his retirement from music. These sorts of announcements happen from time to time and they're very understandable, especially if you know how difficult the jrock/visual kei industry is. Anybody remember An Cafe's blonde guitarist Bou? I'm still very curious the fate of what is left of AYABIE, but I want to believe that the band has disappeared considering there's only one member left. Nonetheless, I wish Intetsu luck in life and a wonderful 2016!



Tasty vs. Woollim
It doesn't seem like label disputes are coming to an end anytime soon, which is both a good and bad thing. Good, because artists are speaking up about their futures and well being as well as bringing awareness to fans on unfair conditions in the industry. Bad, because these things shouldn't happen in the first place! Being a fan of the Tasty twins, I was happy to hear that they didn't break up, but were unfortunately dealing with some disagreements with Woollim, which was around the same time as former Exo-M's Tao was being vague about his status as a member. It seems like Chinese kpop idols are having the hardest time trying to make a living in the industry and it's quite sad. Although, I'm sure they will keep their word of continuing to make music and be successful elsewhere.


Miyavi on The Ellen Show
Remember when Angelina Jolie casted Miyavi for her movie? Well, I thought it was pretty good and I think people should definitely check it out, but this entry is about a specific promotion that Miyavi did. Sure, he did some promotions in other outlets like most movie stars, but this was one of those great moments that make you hope non-American Asians get treated better than Psy did. Not only did he talk about his experiances with "Angie", but he also performed which was quite enjoyable. This was definitely a moment I felt proud to be a Miyavi fan and I hope he gets more opportunities like this in the future.


Nugu Faves Disband
Yeah, I actually know the term for not so popular kpop groups and it's sad that disbandment news isn't as out there as jrock, or even jpop, groups. Some announcements were a surprise, and even a disappointment, for me like Wonder Boyz, Tiny-G, SPEED, and C-Clown. Some announcements I didn't care too much about like Bob Girls, F-Dolls, and Jewelry. And others I wasn't too surprised over and either felt sadness or nothing at all like EvoL and GLAM. Nonetheless, some of these groups or specific members I would love to see them continue in the music industry. Usually the saying goes, "Gone, but not forgotten", but I'm sure majority of kpop fans will forget these groups as soon as they finish reading this entry.


BABYMETAL Win GQ Men of the Year 2015 in Japan
Whether you agree or disagree, but I believe BABYMETAL is one of the most amazing groups that have come out of Japan recently along with FEMM. I've gotten a handful of friends into the group and it's exciting when they release new material or venture outside of Japan. Seeing this piece of news was something I couldn't pass up and I hope my fellow BABYMETAL friends get as much of a laugh over it as I did. Somehow these three young girls won GQ Men of the Year in Japan. I guess there's no barrier that these girls can't break.


JRock & Visual Kei Favorites Disband
I admit some of these bands probably deserve their own disbandment entry for their sheer contributions to the visual kei world, but it's easier to combine some of my personal favorites into this entry. ViViD was a band I was surprised how quickly they moved onto a major label, while being under PS Company. Of course, not being as big of a cash cow as the GazettE or even Alice Nine., ViViD slowly faded in the background of their senpais and bowed out the limelight last year. ZORO, significantly lesser known, was forced to evolve their sound after losing about half of its members. I enjoyed the evolution and experimentation of this duo, so once the releases began to slow down, I was not surprised that disbandment was an inevitable end for them. Amber Gris had a similar fate, when I noticed their releases dwindling to nothing. Lycaon and Moran had a rough history with losing members either through musical differences or natural causes, but somehow managed to keep pushing forward with new member additions and a change of sound. Out of these visual kei bands mentioned, I think their disbandment hurt the most for me. In my eyes, their music was reaching to its peak and now the journey is over. Last band I want to mention by name is DAZZLE VISION. It's unfortunate that I never got a chance to see them live in the U.S., but I'm thankful for the 12 years of intense music they've shared with us. I know there are other various visual kei and jrock bands out there that have announced their unfortunate disbandment and I wish all of them the best in whatever they decide to pursue in the coming year.


Last Minute Reunion Tours
Despite being in America, I still get excited when my favorite bands reunite for a couple lives or even a tour. Sure, some bands announced their reunion lives earlier in 2015 like Fatima, SKULL, and the god and death stars, but it's the last minute ones that really took me aback. Dio - distraught overlord announced a reunion tour for Europe, which made my heart skip a beat, even though I won't be attending. Simply the thought of these five talented men coming together one more time on stage makes me happy. Another little band by L'eprica plan to return this year. Oh yeah, and Versailles came back for Kamijo's 20th Anniversary...or something.


Se7en Leaves YG Entertainment
After serving his military time, Papa YG reached out to the now free R&B singer SE7EN and presented a renewal contract. Unfortunately (and possibly fortunately), that contract did not get signed. I know SE7EN had a rough 2014 with his massage scandal and his relationship with his long term girlfriend, but it was sad knowing that new music would not be coming out in 2015. From what I read, I can totally understand the decision, whether the factor of YG simply not having time for him because of iKON, WINNER, and whatever else b.s. new projects he has coming soon, but I still hope SE7EN finds a label home and resume his rivalry position with Rain. One can only dream~


CL's Solo Efforts
2014 was not a very good year for 2NE1 and for most of 2015, it was stressful for Blackjacks as well. YG continued to tease big plans and many people hoped for the resurrection of 2NE1 in the form of new music, but alas we received news of leader CL embarking her debut in the U.S. Most were disappointed by the news and others were...concerned and for very good reason. I have my own personal history when it comes to CL that will most likely be shared at a more appropriate time, but in short, I enjoyed "Baddest Female" and "MTBD". Being compared to Iggy Azalea and making lazy/questionable material such as "Dr. Pepper" and "Hello Bitches" doesn't bring good feelings. While the two songs may be occasional guilty pleasures, for the most part, it's not a good representation of kpop or CL's talent. More importantly, the fate of 2NE1 this year is up in the air and perhaps YG will have more time for them while Big Bang serves their military time.


Westerners Notice Keith Ape's "It G Ma"
As much quality music that Asia has to offer, mainstream America always picks either the "bizarre" or cringeworthy. Whether I like them or not, BABYMETAL, Psy's "Gangnam Style", Crayon Pop's "Bar Bar Bar", and even Ylvis's "Fox Song (What Does the Fox Say?)" [despite not being Asian related)] I would prefer them over the travesty that is Keith Ape's "It G Ma". For the longest time, I avoided the song, only hearing seconds of it and coming close to it with a sample of OG Maco's equally cringeworthy "U Guessed It" and Untouchable's goofy "Crayon". It wasn't until my brother pulled it up and I witnessed all 5 minutes and 45 seconds of trainwreckage. While it had some hilarious quotables throughout, it was a song I didn't want representing the khip-hop genre...despite the trend going in the direction of more trap sounds. In the end, I hope 2015 is the end of Keith Ape's monkeying around, because he's truly a joke to the genre and there's way better talent out there.


Dir en grey Keeps Busy
In 2014, I mentioned that frontman Kyo was keeping busy with his art, social media, and his side project sukekiyo. Now Die has put together his own side band as well by the name of DECAYS. Whether you like them or not, their music (at least "SECRET MODE") was definitely not what I expected from Die, let alone him doing vocals. Shinya also modeled in California for h.NAOTO and Toshiya and Kaoru have either put together their own fashion line or participated in some modeling. It's nice to see the guys keeping themselves busy with side projects, but I also hope that they're getting some rest in between before the next Dir en grey album.


Black Gene Suspend Activities
After hearing the announcement of Megamasso's 1 year hibernation, which is really unrelated unless you roleplay with me, it was interesting hearing Ryouhei's lolita pal Rame and crew announce their suspension of activities. The whole news was kinda confusing in its wording as a friend and I were trying to decipher whether this was a hiatus or a disbandment. More interesting is vocalist ICE has signed to UNION ENTERTAINMENT for a side project. In the end, I'm hoping the band is simply taking a break in activities in hopes of coming back as a bigger and better band.


Exo-M's Tao & f(x)'s Sulli Withdraw From SM Entertainment
So, 2014 was the departure of Exo-M's Kris and Luhan and SNSD's Jessica from SM Entertainment and the beginning of a little game of Battle Royale for Exo. Most of you know that I love Exo-M and I had my prediction about the group as whole since the start; I just wish it hadn't gotten this bad. My worries started to grow when Tao began to dwindle from activities...and his health was deteriorating. Eventually, Tao threw in the towel and my heart greatly sunk. With only half of the Exo-M members left, it's hard for me to get excited about new music as I'm not to fond of Exo-K's musical chemistry. Honestly, I'm not too excited about this supposed U.S. tour they're having this year. As for Sulli, I'm not too surprised that she left and I think some of f(x)'s fans felt the same. I know there's a few jokes floating around about her decision involving her current beau Dynamic Duo's Choiza. Whether her relationship is related or not is unknown, but it's also possible that her health may be a possibility. Of course, no one will know the real reason unless they're directly involved. Nonetheless, I was happy that f(x) continued as a foursome and gave us "4 Walls".


VAMPS Tour with Apocalyptica & Sixx:A.M.
As someone who has been into the jrock scene for a decade, I've learned to accept that Hyde would never come to Texas. So, when it was announced that VAMPS would be joining Apocalyptica and Sixx: A.M., I thought there was a typo or something. That moment when senpai notices your state. Anyway, I was surprised to see so many VAMPS fans in Houston to show their support and it seemed like non-fans enjoyed themselves as well. At some point, I will post my concert report here, but in short, my friend and I really enjoyed ourselves and I really hope that Hyde recognizes that Texas does need some attention from him and his bands.


MBLAQ Comes Back as 3
In 2014's list I mentioned the departure of Lee Joon and Cheon Doong (Thunder) from the group as well as a discontinuation of the group's musical career. I was surprised, along with fans, to find the group releasing a music video as a trio. It was a little depressing not seeing the group whole and there's even speculation that the song is about "Lee Joon betraying them". I think it was somewhat confirmed that the departure was inspiration for the break-up song, which hurt my heart a little more. I guess this is how DBSK fans felt when they split. Nonetheless, it seems that Joon is continuing his modelling and acting career. I'm sure Thunder is doing well...I don't really follow him as much. In the end, I hope all the members, former and current, follow their dreams and find success in 2016.


Wonder Girls, Brown Eyed Girls, & Big Bang Make a Comeback
Just a reminder that this is a real comeback. 2015 was a great year for old favorites to make their appearance, especially when they're futures were so uncertain. 2013 put Wonder Girls on hiatus as two of the members decided to part ways to pursue other interests and many fans were unsure of disbandment. Surprisingly, some members returned to the group and released an amazing retro, band-centric album that I'm looking forward to reviewing here. Brown Eyed Girls and Big Bang have been busy with solo material, which is all well and good, but it seemed like such a long stretch for a group effort, especially Big Bang. Brown Eyed Girls did not disappoint with a release of a mixture of mature, sexy, and fun music videos and Big Bang going all out with back to back releases leading to a hopeful album with their MADE single series. I'm looking forward to the future of these groups, especially with some of the changes implemented in their sound and that that Big Bang album actually comes into fruition.


B.A.P Continue With TS Entertainment
2014 brought a lot of contract disputes in kpop and B.A.P was part of that list as well as rumors of other TSE artists taking legal actions with the label. After the news was posted, there wasn't much detail to follow up the group's silence. Suddenly, teasers for an upcoming mini-album was posted and some kind of news was put up. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's confused about the whole situation, but I suppose it's nice that we have the boys back with new material.


TGM Events Fail to Highlight BTS
Sadly, I wasn't able to post my own complaints about kpop lives before this event occurred, but I'm still planning on posting my own grievances when it comes to kpop tours in the U.S. BTS's Highlight tour with TGM Events and Community 54 was actually a show I was thinking about attending, but sold out after I waited too long. Of course, I'll go into more details about my perspective on the whole ordeal and more later, after I tweak my original post. Most people, whether you're A.R.M.Y or not, know about the tragedy that was the Highlight Tour: sold out show in Atlanta, fans getting locked out, V.I.Ps being treated like regular tickets,...oh, and leader Rap Monster receiving a death threat over something he said. Clearly, this brief summary of what happened doesn't cover half of what happened, but I hope this teaches fans to be more cautious, other promoters to learn from TGM's mistakes, and that it doesn't hurt kpop groups from traveling to the U.S.


ADAMS' Shota Passes Away
During a performance in Poland, Shota passed out on stage and was immediately rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, he suffered a stroke and passed away after hours of struggle. It was very shocking news to hear, especially after promoting the duo and adamently listening to their music. Every tour made me hopeful for a U.S. debut, but alas we lost a truly talented and passionate musician. More detailed news on Shota's passing can be found on Shattered Tranquility and a heartfelt message was posted by Shota's wife. My thoughts and prayers to Shota's family, friends, and fans. May his music live on!

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.

Quick Music Review

2Yoon – Harvest Moon (2013, South Korea) Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Why Not, Black Swan
I must admit that I was a little hesitant to listen to this duo from 4minute, but let’s see what happens with this little experiment. “24/7” was a little off putting, even when watching the music video. It’s definitely a new approach in kpop by incorporating country elements into a pop sound. After a few listens, it slowly grew on me, but it’s still a little too upbeat and cutesy for me. “악몽” sounds like your typical mid-tempo ballad in kpop. It consists of piano, acoustic guitar, and a typical dramatic pop sound to convey hurt or pleading emotion that female artists use, but it’s still enjoyable. “Why Not” is nothing special, but it’s a little more upbeat with a lot of emphasis on a dramatic electro-pop sounds. It booms out in the introduction and chorus, then quiets down during the verses, but somehow this has become my favorite track on this mini-album. “쎄쎄쎄” slows down to a pseudo-R&B sound with the help of Kikaflo who sounds a bit too relax on this track to me. The lyrics from what I can pick out seem silly. Definitely 4minute level. “Black Swan” tries to be hard with the droning electronics and dubstep parts and a hint of hip-hop pieces that are tied with NassuN, but it’s not. Somehow I tolerate it and enjoy it more than I should. Collectively this mini-album is a mesh-mash of genres, but it’s passable for a first attempt.



Kreayshawn – Somethin ‘Bout Kreay (2012, USA) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: Gucci Gucci, Left Ey3, Twerkin!!!
I know this isn’t anything new, but it took me some time to convince myself to listen to Kreayshawn’s debut album that apparently flopped. “Blasé Blasé” starts us off on a throwback, crazy track of random effects and vocal distortions. It’s very playful and you can really see it in the lyrics. “Ch00k Ch00k Tare” has a minimal sound to it and Kreayshawn gives a stomping delivery with her lyrics which reminds me of a weaker M.I.A. “Gucci Gucci” is the song that started it all. It has a warped sound to it, but the lyrics definitely contend and maybe even conquer the mainstream rappers. “Summertime” features her partner in crime (at the time) V-Nasty. It has a nice throwback, smooth beat to it that makes a good cruising song. The lyrics match the mood of the music with a playful tone. “Left Ey3” is a song I've been waiting to hear in a long time. It’s always nice to have a good revenge song from a female. It has some clever pop culture references and some cold one liners. It goes hard and I wouldn't mess with her after this track. “Like It Or Love It” has a marching band drum feel to it. The delivery is a little off with the lack of music. Not one of her strongest songs. “K234YS0NIXZ” returns to that fun sound that the first track brought. Nothing serious, so take it for what it is. “BFF (Bestfriend)” is probably the weakest track on the album, so don’t feel guilty about skipping out on this upbeat pseudo-pop, auto-tuned song. “Twerkin!!!” is definitely a guilty pleasure track on this album as it is so ridiculous, but you can’t help just getting you “swag” on to this Diplo collaboration in the club, the car, or just in your bedroom. “Breakfast (Syrup)” is not that great of a song, but it’s not that bad compared to some other songs. It has a minimalistic sound to it and kinda copies the same formula of “Gucci Gucci”, although I could’ve lived without 2Chainz’s contribution...or lack there of. “Go Hard (La.La.La)” has this weird auto-tune effect on Kreayshawn’s not so perfect singing vocals. The song’s kinda fun with this reminiscent 8-bit sound, but lyrically is quite weak. “The Ruler” has an awkward sound to it. From the music to the lyrics, it just doesn’t work in this cocky piece. “Luv Haus” ends this album with an 80’s electronic sound and some echo effect on Kreayshawn’s flawed vocals. It sounds a bit lazy, but the chorus is slightly less lazy. This doesn’t fit her style though. This album isn’t perfect, but I still believe she has potential.



HyunA - MELTING (2012, South Korea) Rating: 2/5
Favorite Tracks: 흐트러지지 마
I'm sure you're wondering why I'm reviewing another HyunA mini-album if I don't like her. Well, once again, there's one specific track that led me here. "흐트러지지 마" doesn't have the most promising of introductions with it's military sound, but this song is quite decent for a HyunA song. I kinda like the descending vocals and the music isn't that bad. "Ice Cream" is the promotional track for this mini-album and tied up what was left of the "Gangnam Style" wave in South Korea. At least this song is less nauseating than "Bubble Pop", but HyunA's overplayed girlish singing style and weak lyrics still makes me cringe. "풋사과" is a Taylor Swift acoustic pop leftover featuring a talent from BtoB. It seems like they've been utilized in mediocre 4minute projects lately. This is a fairly safe song and I can hear something like this playing on the radio here in America. "내 남자친구에게" shows a softer side of HyunA's voice which surprisingly isn't that bad. It's pretty generic with its keyboard, acoustic guitar, and musical ascensions accompanied with soft, subtle "ahs". "Very Hot" displays a more electro-hip hop sound than "Ice Cream". HyunA attempts to show off her rap skills, which is really a bored sing-talk sound with a lazy chorus that just repeats the title and breaths in your ear awkwardly.



Miyavi - SAMURAI SESSIONS vol. 1 (2012, Japan) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: STRONG, DAY 1, SILENT ANGER
It's been a while since Miyavi has released anything full length, so this is a nice sample of some collaborative pieces. "GANRYU (vs HIFANA)" starts off with some DJ scratches and a preview of what's to come with Miyavi. It features Miyavi's skillful slap guitar and paired it off with some impressive drumming in a very high pace. It's very simple, but enjoyable in the short amount of time. "STRONG (vs KREVA)" was the first preview of this project. Fortunately, I came at a time when I was really getting into KREVA and he really improves this song greatly compared to the solo version. Sorry, Meevs. The guitar has a nice balance of acoustic and electric. I also didn't mind Miyavi's vocal input either. "DAY 1 (vs. YUSEK)" kinda loops the same guitar riffs that I complained about in a previous post, but it's not a terrible song. Miyavi doesn't overdo it with the vocals too much and the electronic contribution makes this track shine, especially around the chorus. "SILENT ANGER (vs TAKESHI HOSOMI)" was the third promotional pick and hands over the vocal spotlight to Takeshi Hosomi which was a wise choice as I don't think Miyavi's could pull off this emotional track. It's definitely a change of pace to a more emotion filled and experimental, atmospheric sound. This is something that might have to grow on you. "PLEASURE! (vs H ZETT M)" has a chasing sound between Miyavi's guitar and piano. It's an upbeat sound that also strays away from the electronic wave that Miyavi has been into. It reminds me of the "Gigpig Boogie" era in some ways. "HA NA BI (vs HIROMITSU AGATSUMA vs JIN OKI)" retreats back to the slap guitar sound and tambourine, but it has a jungle-esque mood to it. There's not much to it, but it's an alright song. "祈りを (vs SEIJI KAMEDA vs MIU SAKAMOTO)" slows the mini down with a deep electric guitar and highlights Miyavi's strengths more than any of the other tracks, while allowing the guest vocalists to sing over Miyavi's work.



Epik High - 99 (2012, South Korea) Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Up, DON'T HATE ME, 춥다
I was very weary about this release, since Epik High was moving to YG Entertainment. I love Epik High and YGE is a decent label. I think I like them the most out of the Big 3, but they have their flaws too. "Up" was chosen as the second promotional track for this mini-album. Unfortunately, it features 2NE1's overpowering vocalist Bom which kinda ruins the song. Someone turn the damn volume down on her! The song has a video game feel to the music and it's a simple little fun tune. Nothing extraordinary. "DON'T HATE ME" was the first promotional track. It features acoustic guitar and yet another playful tune. I like the message a lot, but the vocal presentation seemed very toned down for the mainstream acceptance. "사랑한다면 해선 안될 말" has this slight break beat sound straight from the 80's. It's another safe vocal track for the radio. Very casual cruising music. "춥다" is probably technically the first promotional track, but it didn't have a video to it. It features guest vocals from new YGE talent Lee Hi. It's a really sober, mellow song and shows off Tablo and Mithra's strengths more than the previous tracks. This is the Epik High that I know. "아까워" takes it old school sound with beat boxing and freestyle flow between the rappers. It feels more natural and leans toward what they normally would be doing when they're not catering to mainstream air play. "악당" brings in the lounge music with a hint of Bond-esque chase scene sounds. It's another fun tune, but different from the previous fun tunes. I can sway along with this one a little more easily. "KILL THIS LOVE" brings in the dubstep and slightly poor dramatics with a repetitive chorus. The verses delivery is the most interesting part of this track than anything else. "NEW BEAUTIFUL" recycles this pseudo-piano sound and layers on the electro-pop to close off this debut mini. It feels like this should've been used for Big Bang and not Epik High, although they pull this track off decently.


If there's something you want me to review, check out this post on how you can submit requests.