Fair Shake Reaction: Hard - SHINee

Hard - SHINee

(Genre: Kpop)

Hard to resist this content:

Hard (Music Video)

The Feeling (Music Video)

Juice (Choreography Video)

JREKML Reaction (to Hard)

Form of Therapy Reaction (to Juice)

Fair Shake Reaction: Gasoline - Key

Gasoline - Key

(Genre: Kpop)

Videos to add more Gas to the fire:

Gasoline (Music Video)

Gasoline (Dance Practice)

Villain (Dance Practice)
Bound (Dance Practice)

Form of Therapy Reaction (to Gasoline)

FiFiZappaReacts (to Album pt. 1)

Unboxing: Violet KPop Haul 2

Epic Eve Pink Haul 2

Miko's Declutter Journey: KPop Merch

Fair Shake Reaction: Don't Call Me - SHINee

Don't Call Me - SHINee

(Genre: Kpop)

Fair Shake Reaction: Atlantis - SHINee

Atlantis - SHINee

(Genre: Kpop)

AM 2018 KPop Haul

Anime Matsuri 2017 KPop Haul

Top 10 Recommended Music Videos

"Just Right" by GOT7
I love this group so much and this music video made me love their charm even more! This is definitely one of my favorite songs and videos from this group from last year. It has a great message and amazing choreography. Honestly, I think they can only go up from here. This catchy, sweet song proves that GOT7 is just going to keep growing in the right direction. I love the colorful concept and the interaction with the little girl. If you've seen this from the Fine Bros. channel, it would be best to turn those captions on and I promise you that this is a lot less creepy than it seems. Also, if you're having a cloudy day, this'll definitely lift your spirits and make you feel all warm, fuzzy, and special inside.



"Champagne" by Yunho (DBSK)
I believe this was released before his and Changmin's military time. I'm still not super into this duo, but I do enjoy their music from time to time and Yunho is my bias, so I had to check out this song when it was released. I wasn't expecting such a vibrant, fun, charming, and catchy song. It has so many set changes and variations in style with the visuals, costumes, and sound. It's different from the DBSK duo material, but still has a tiny hint of it in the music/dance break. I'm looking forward to listening to more Yunho solo material when I get around to it.



"You & Me" by Kisum feat. Jooyoung
Thanks to Unpretty Rapstar, which I'll review and rant about at some point, I was interested in this lovely and talented young lady. I'm glad the show gave her a launch pad to showcase her talent to the world. This video and song really shows off her cute, playful, and sweet side that you don't see in a lot of Korean female rappers that doesn't infantize them. Jooyoung's vocals work very well with Kisum's rap verses. They have good chemistry together and everything about this music video gives me the warm fuzzies.



"XOX" by Z.HERA feat. Eun Ha (Dal Shabat)
Anytime I see new music from Z.HERA or ANDA, I instantly get excited and keep hoping that more people discover their fresh, shining talent like I have. In this colorful and animated video, Z.HERA channels another part of herself and lets loose of the more serious work she's done. I love the colors, fun choreography, and the upbeat tone of the music. It really looks like she's having fun. While I don't think Eun Ha was all that necessary to the song, her contribution with Z.HERA worked well. I kinda wished they interacted a little more, but they look and sound good together.



"Don't Be Shy" by PRIMARY feat. ChoA (AOA) & IRON
Even though I'm far from a fan of AOA, I do like ChoA. Something about her makes me happy and I enjoy watching her in AOA music videos. Seeing her in a PRIMARY video with Show Me the Money 3's personal heartthrob IRON made me excited. PRIMARY's music and videos are always unpredictable and that's something I love about his work. This music video is no exception. It combines dark and artistic elements and uses a believable vintage aesthetic, then fuses them with modern color tones and imagery that current kpop fans are used to, even though it is a strange, supernatural narrative with a romantic, laid back musical tone. I love ChoA's vocals on this reggae inspired sound and of course that's IRON's element of expertise, so I wasn't worried about his contribution.



"Married to the Music" by SHINee
This group has really grown on me since "Lucifer". Perhaps I've even become...a fan. *gasps* Anyway, I must admit that I enjoyed "View" as a song more than this one, but the video doesn't have as many visuals that'll stick in your mind as this Halloween appropriate house of hilarious horror. It gives that playful, upbeat haunted house vibe that I remember getting from Backstreet Boys' "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)". I'm really happy that SM Entertainment gives this group so many creative and fun concepts and visuals compared to some of their groups. The guys look like they're having a lot of fun and the video really shows off their chemistry with their goofy acting, choreography, and vocal harmony. I'm honestly impressed with the production. Good job, everyone!



"My Number" by Cheetah
After Unpretty Rapstar and seeing the teasers for Cheetah's first solo rap video, not only was I excited, but many fans were too. Some were disappointed in the lack of hardness and mainstream sound choice, but I think we're alright with it. I understand the disappointment as this was nothing I thought it would be, but I'm not shunning this effort obviously. I still managed to enjoy this neon colored, genderbending, street inspired imagery. The lyrics and delivery still reflect Cheetah's fierce and dominating personality and that's what's really important. I'm looking forward to more from her like Kisum.



"RESPECT" by Loco feat. GRAY & DJ Pumkin
This is a song that I listen to off and on, but I have found more appreciation for it after hearing it live. The video combines your usual basic studio produced hip-hop visuals as LOCO performs, snippets of story with his friends and working on music, and social media graphics simulating a narrative of his life or something close to reality. LOCO brings a lot of charisma and charm as he delivers his lyrics to this b-boy like beat. It has a feel good, catchy chorus provided by labelmate GRAY. It's definitely a positive feeling type a song that's easy to enjoy by yourself or with friends.



"Beautiful Liar" by VIXX LR
I was surprised to hear that VIXX was making a sub-unit with Leo and Ravi and I was very curious how that combination was going to work. I didn't doubt that it wouldn't be great as I claimed the Starlight name and I love both of these talented individuals. This music video definitely played to all of their strengths. Leo's beautiful, passionate vocals give a great sense of vulnerability, while Ravi's rough, powerful rap delivery expresses pain and conflict that completes the overall atmosphere of this song. The visuals are dark, theatrical, and artsy. Visuals that VIXX are very good at. It really completes the story for our characters and their emotional struggle. I'm looking forward to hearing more from this sub-unit in the future as they work very well together.



"Wet" by Jooyoung feat. Superbee
Honestly, my mind went straight to the gutter with this title and I'm sure some other people's mind went that direction too, but it's not that kind of song. I promise. This is a very emotional and beautiful song that'll have you body rolling and crying simultaneously. I thought this was the first time I've heard Jooyoung's lovely vocals, but this is just the first time he's really stood out for me. The trap-R&B beat and the sorrowful lyrics bring out the strengths in his vocal expression and charisma. Definitely an automatic jam for many, many months for me. I recommend turning on those subtitles, because the lyrics are really beautiful. The visuals are dark, minimal, and perfectly sensual like the tone of the song and beat. It really focuses on Jooyoung's internal struggle and chemistry with the girls in the video and audience.

Favorite MAMA 2015 Performances

It's another year for kpop idols to claim their year end paper weights of fan achievements and bribery! I guess it's become tradition for me to cover the MAMAs every year and obviously, I'm not making a vlog about it. Why? Because I'm sure someone's covered the flaws, surprises, and wtf moments of the show already. Sure, there's plenty of criticisms I could point out to lure out the trolls, but instead I'll shake up the kpop fanbase by not including their faves in my list this year. So! Get your fingers ready for paragraph long comment on why I didn't include [insert idol/group] in my post. Here we go~


CL - The Baddest Female
Song(s): HELLO BITCHES

I'm probably going to receive a lot of criticism for this one and most likely not because I listed CL on here. I know she gets criticism on her own. No, I expect some criticism for only including CL's performance and not the reunion of 2NE1. While I was excited to see the quartet united on the stage together performing one of their older songs, "Fire", I wasn't all that impressed with their unpolished presentation. I've seen better. But let's focus on their leader and how she can easily own the stage with a blase song. Yeah, I don't particularly care for "HELLO BITCHES" (or even "Dr. Pepper"). It's a trap mess that somehow I don't feel nauseous over like "It G Ma". Maybe it's the delivery, the attitude, the style, or just...y'know the fierce diverse female dancers slaying the stage. They work very well together and it makes the song bearable and even...as the kids say, lit.



Jessi - Tough Enough
Song(s): Sseununni

While Jessi didn't have the fierce choreography as CL's stage, I didn't mind it. The problem I have with Korean rappers being on live shows on TV is that it seems like choreography is a requirement, which is annoying. This performance proves that the dancers could basically do whatever they want and still be synchronized. It's not strictly choreographed and it goes well with Jessi's casual, freestyle movements as she raps. She really owns the stage all on her own. Whether you believe she's as hardcore as she presents herself or not, I believed this fiercely passionate performance from her. The stage was really hers for the taking.



San E - Tough Enough
Song(s): Do It For Fun

Not one of my favorite San E songs from 2015, but he took a risk performing all alone and...I think he made the right choice. There were no back-up dancer distracting from the wild energy San E brings to the stage lyrically and physically through majority of the performance. He just seemed like a free spirit getting into his own music and losing himself in his own ego. I really wished the crowd and idols got more excited about this amazing, spitfire solo performance. There really should be more appreciation for hip-hop acts at the MAMAs, because they've had some outstanding performances on their stage and such little vocal appreciation from the audience.



Jolin Tsai - Queen of the Night
Song(s): Play

Much like Koda Kumi in 2011, I feel like the MAMAs needs more international Asian "queens" in the building. I was very much excited and surprised to see Jolin Tsai on the stage and while her performance wasn't the most hype, she delivered a satisfying performance with "Play". I loved that she had these beautiful men in high heels backing her up, while she tried to balance her singing and dancing in this great song. I wish she was able to do more on the level of Koda Kumi, but what we were given made me happy enough.




SHINee - Marvelous
Song(s): Savior & View

It's crazy how much this group has grown on me. It's so crazy that I should dedicate a whole post to it at some point, but let's focus on this performance. From the pre-recorded introduction, I knew something magical was going to happen on the stage. Whether I got into them more or not, I was confident in the stage presentation. SHINee is a reliable group when it comes to vocal and choreography skills in live settings. The performance starts with a Jonghyun solo: briefly on the piano and some dancing with floating light fixtures, then the rest of the members appear in idol cases. Since I'm still majorly behind on listening to music, this was my first listen of "Savior". Not their strongest song, but they tried their best to raise the energy and show off their vocal talents, despite bad audio management. I was happy to hear "View" live for the first time. I felt the same energy and maturity as I did when I watched the music video for the first 5 times. In short, another solid performance by SHINee.




MONSTA X & SEVENTEEN -The Boys
Song(s): Trespass & Mansae

I'm still surprised that I decided not to include GOT7 and BTS's collaboration stage. I enjoy both groups greatly, but it didn't pan out as I thought it would. Last year's BTS collaboration was on point and hopefully, I'll go back and make a post on 2014's MAMAs, which I have no idea why I didn't make a post at all. I think I'm more surprised how well this collaboration came together as both groups seem so opposite of one another concept wise. MONSTA X didn't hold back with their debut track, "Trespass". It was bombastic and full of energy. Not as smooth of a transition audibly, but worked with this sweet vs. bad concept they had for this stage, SEVENTEEN went with their latest release at the time, "Mansae". While I don't enjoy it as much as "Adore U", for some reason I enjoyed watching this live more than I did when I first watched the music video. Yes, school stages have been done hundreds of times, but they did a great job with it as well. It was a charming and energizing stage. The rap break after felt like a response to SEVENTEEN's cuteness and I loved every minute of it, flaws and all, but the best part was the choreography during and after it. SEVENTEEN killed it! Overall, they worked very well together and it was pleasantly unexpected.



Psy - 2015 Psy Returns
Song(s): Napal Baji, Daddy, & Gangnam Style

Surprise, surprise! Psy is on my list. No, I haven't jumped on the Psy bandwagon yet, but I have to admit that the man knows how to bring his world onto any stage he steps on...or at least the couple performances I've seen on the MAMAs. "Napal Baji" brings a fun disco Vegas feel to the stage with flashy lights and disco inspired dance which some kpop fans may recognize from the chorus of T-ara's "Roly Poly". Out of the two new releases, this one was my least favorite, but it was enjoyable enough for me to listen to it a couple times. The light effect dub step break between songs was pretty cool, even though it wasn't perfectly synchronized, but it brought both songs together nicely. "Daddy" was a song that's hard not to enjoy with its high energy and catchy beat. The dance is also a little infectious as well. Honestly, I could feel myself feel a little hype build inside when this song came up. Psy really works his body out during this song and I give him major kudos throughout the whole performance. Of course, he couldn't leave the stage without performing his viral hit "Gangnam Style", which manages to carry the same high energy and fun as it did when it was first released. It was nice to see the other idols and presenter let loose and enjoy the music together.



Big Bang - Truth + Dare
Song(s): LOSER, BAE BAE, & BANG BANG BANG

No matter how underwhelmed I felt about Big Bang's new material, I always seem to find a place for them on my MAMAs list. One thing they excel at is stage presence. They know how to bring the house down and the energy threw the roof. While I don't completely dislike the songs they released last year, it was fun watching them perform them for this "prestigious" award ceremony for the fans. "LOSER" presented a beautiful emotional performance that I rarely see from the group and I really enjoyed the set up with the lights and the members facing different directions toward the crowd. "BAE BAE" gave the crowd some sex appeal with a dash of fun in the chorus and of course, most people's favorite moment, Seungri sitting on EXO's Sehun's lap as he delivered his verse. Much like "Fantastic Baby", "BANG BANG BANG" was the grand finale of energy, making the stage their own personal party. The highlight of that performance were the female dancers during the intro. They were amazing and slayed the choreography harder than anyone else on the stage.



Zion.T x Kim Seol Jin - Bridge of Memories
Song(s): Yanghwa BRDG

Every year, I go blindly into MAMAs not knowing who's performing and after seeing this performance, I'll most likely keep it that way. Seeing Zion.T on stage, let alone in the building, was a huge surprise for me. I feel like the mainstream doesn't appreciate his artistry and I'm happy he stayed true to himself in this performance of "Yanghwa BRDG". It's a song that I might've listened to twice at most, not because I dislike it but because it's slower than his usual tracks and those I listen to less often. I did watch this whole performance, because it's Zion.T. I was happy that the crowd went crazy within the first few notes. Hearing Zion.T's soulful voice and the piano echo throughout the venue really hit my heart and soul. It was truly perfection and passion. I'm assuming Kim Seol Jin is the dancer and he really brought out the emotion and passion that Zion.T expressed in his voice through his body. I enjoyed the interactions between him and the onscreen illustrations. Truly, this was the best performance of the evening.

Top 5 Recommended Music Videos

"Crazy (Guilty Pleasure)" by JongHyun feat. IRON
After Taemin's solo, I guess SM Entertainment decided that Jonghyun needed one too. I'm not complaining or anything. There were some possibilities of how this first video would go. It is darkly beautiful and I'm happy they didn't do the standard dancing in a box or just choreography video. It has some theatrics, interesting visuals, and Jonghyun looks and sounds amazing in this video. I never really paid too much attention to SHINee's individual skills, so this makes me like him even more than I have before. I'll admit that this isn't what I expected from him, but I was pleased enough that I was kinda excited about hearing his mini-album. Also, IRON...yes~ Unnecessary, but...yes~



"Star Warz" by Outsider vs. Twista
I know Twista hasn't been relevant to mainstream audiences since the 2000s, but I'm still mesmerized by his speed and skill. I was excited to see that Outsider was doing a collaboration and I was very impressed. It was everything a fan could want. The visuals are a perfect symbol of two different opponents battling each other through boxers. The song mixes both artists' styles with a hip-hop, rock, and classical sound. I'm looking forward to hearing new Outsider for sure!



"Crazy" by 4Minute
Despite my feelings toward HyunA, I've liked this group before her solo career became a career, so I was excited to see a new video from them. If I remember correctly, I wasn't too impressed with their last effort. Although the video mostly focuses on beauty shots and choreography, it's shot well and in an interesting way. Despite the styling not being perfect, for the most part I like this new look for them, especially the green hair. I do think the choreography is awkward in places, but I really enjoy this almost Middle Eastern hip-hop, electro-pop sound for them.



"Rebellion" by DIAWOLF
Along with the revival of Alice Nine (or A9 now) after leaving PS Company, Shou and Tora put together DIAWOLF and released a video around the same time. I didn't know what to expect, but what we got was absolutely awesome. It was a booming and liberating fusion of rock and electronic music. Shou's Engrish is pretty decent, but more importantly his delivery along with Tora's guitar were very powerful and conveyed a great sense of rebellion. I hope this isn't a one off and they do more with this name, because this was pretty cool.



"Quints" by NIGHTMARE
NIGHTMARE is a band whose music is very consistent. They've kept their signature sound throughout time while still evolving and growing with every release. Although I might not post too much about them here, I still find their music very enjoyable. This video is proof that this band is still amazing and their chemistry with each other still exists. The song might not stand out too much and kinda sounds similar to other things they've released, but there's still hints of growth and experimentation in it by letting all the members sing the chorus along with Yomi, having a more prominent bassline, and adding some synthesizer sounds to parts of the song. The video is very simple visually, having the members perform in front of a concrete wall and vines as the camera revolves from member to member and another scene with all five members in front of a screen with various Japanese and English words surrounding them.

Quick Music Review

SHINee - 3집 Chapter 1. `Dream Girl - The misconceptions of you` (2013, South Korea) Rating: 2.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Dream Girl, Dynamite
I guess SM Entertainment learned how to properly compile all the tracks featured on the album as opposed to making it seem like a never ending song. *coughs*Sherlock*coughs* This track opener is called "Spoiler", which features bits and pieces of the tracks on this CD with some other stuff. I don't suggest doing this all the time, but it does work better than "Sherlock (Clue+Note)", "Clue", and "Note" following one right after another. "Dream Girl" is the promo track for this album. It took me a while to appreciate this song, but without having the visuals from the music video made me enjoy the retro sounds combined with booming electro-pop. It was something fresh, but familiar in the SHINee discography...at least their recent material after Lucifer. It's a fun, upbeat song with a good vocal composition that utilizes the boys' talents which I'm surprised by. Good job, SMEnt, you did something right! "Hitchhiking" has a slightly odd synth-trumpet thing going on and a lot of experimental electronic sounds. It almost feels like a combination of the previous track and "Sherlock", but it doesn't quite fit in certain places. "Punch Drunk Love" brings out the most simplistic beat of R&B of the 80's and tries to make it charming, but it comes off as cheesy and dated in the worse sense. "Girls, Girls, Girls" is a simple, upbeat melody with lots of feel good elements. Unfortunately, it doesn't make me feel good. It's too sweet for me! "Aside" departs from the cheesy vintage sound to a mature piano and acoustic combo of a love tune...at least I think it's a love song. "Beautiful" brings back the electronic sound ripped straight from capsule, but softened up to make it more endearing than in your face. Must admit "Dynamite" is my favorite track on this album, hands down. It's odd and quirky in some ways. It mixes retro and has a give and take electronic addicting sound to the melody. It flows more easily than "Hitchhiking", but the melody drop moment is a little questionable. It's not too bothersome to ruin the song, fortunately. "Runaway" closes out this album with more recycled capsule leftovers! This is practically Johnny's Entertainment C-side material. Nothing super interesting. Well, this album was definitely less annoying than Sherlock. Looking forward to listening to chapter 2.



B.A.P - One Shot (2013, South Korea) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: One Shot, COMA
This was a request made by one of the readers and luckily I can easily comment on this mini-album. "PUNCH" has a grand opening of brass and hip-hop. It tries to be as tough as "Warrior", but comes off as weak as "POWER" and "NO MERCY" with a weak vocal aggression and a partially recycled beat. "ONE SHOT" is the main reason I was excited to listen to this mini-album. A lot of the group's releases have been pale comparisons to their debut song and usually it's the other way around. This track brings back the essence and attitude of "Warrior" with something new...even if it's only slightly. I love the vocal arrangement and how the rap and singing is balanced out perfectly. The bridge is beautifully delivered and flows effortlessly into the repetitive and simple chorus. I hope the group takes a little break and brings more of this sound to their harder tracks. "빗소리" is a softer, acoustic track that actually works. I haven't been fond of the group's slower tracks, but they found out how to make rapping and singing work for this steady and confident track. "COMA" is the other track that was slipped into the music video for "ONE SHOT". It's a more intense track with a tough rap delivery and a pleading tone to the vocals. Somehow, this song works as well. I have no problems with it and I even listened to it more than once which is a feat. This track definitely shows the group's growth for more vulnerable, emotional tracks. "0 (ZERO)" is the weakest track on this mini-album. It's upbeat, has a slightly poppy acoustic, and tries to be fun and hip-hop, but it comes off as an awkward inspirational song.



Dir en grey - Rinkaku (2012, Japan) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: Rinkaku (Eternal Summer Mix)
It's been quite some time since Dum Spiro Spero and, of course, any release from this band is an exciting one. "Rinkaku" is a beautiful, heavy song that reminds us that Kyo can indeed sing. I have no idea why people keep saying that all he does is scream. The delivery of the verse and part of chorus is calming and almost entrancing to the mind. It almost counters the heaviness of the guitars and bass, but it is skillfully balanced. "Kiri to Mayu" has been revived from it's MISSA era to the year 2012. The song keeps the foundation of the original and pumps it with growls, guttural screams, and hardcore instrumentation similar to the "ZAN" remake. "Rinkaku (Eternal Summer Mix)" was a track I was most excited for and I know a few of my friends were looking forward to it as well because it is remixed by Akira Yamaoka (a.k.a the composer of the Silent Hill game series). This remix definitely sounds like something straight out of Silent Hill with the perfect touch of softness and vocal performance from Kyo's end. It doesn't sound overly Silent Hill either. It has an ambient Dir en grey sound lingering in between the melody. I don't know if it's because of my bias, but I enjoy this more than the original. It's just beautifully haunting. They should do more collaborations!



Moon Hee Jun - BEGINS (2012, South Korea) Rating: 2/5
Favorite Tracks: PIONEER, SCANDAL
I was happy to hear that MHJ was making a comeback, but I was not expecting him to abandon his rock sound for the trending electro-pop sound of the idol world. "PIONEER" is full of unnecessary dubstep wubs and wobs. I would've been happy if it was just a pure electronic dance track because those parts work. Even though his voice is slightly auto-tuned, MHJ hasn't lost his touch in the vocal department. "I'M NOT OK" was chosen to promote this comeback mini-album and mixes current and 90's kpop electronic sounds together. It's below the usual level that MHJ reaches for in his music, even lyrically. It's a decent song, but a bit mediocre for MHJ's musical caliber. "SCANDAL" brings back what MHJ is good at which is emotion filled vocals and a nice piano pop mix. It's so refreshing to hear his voice without all the auto-tune accompanied by a less in your face electronic sound. "BLOOD-V" is the final track, if you don't count the instrumental for "PIONEER". It brings back the 90's dance scene in another sub-par song with dubstep sprinkled here and there and, of course, auto-tune. It's a fun track, yes, but MHJ doesn't sound like himself at all. I'm hoping he returns to the rock and ballad scene where he excels or at least bring the bar back up on his pop material.



DBSK - catch Me + Humanoids repackage (2012, South Korea) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: Catch Me, Insaengeun Bitnatda (viva), Good Night, Humanoids
"Catch Me" is the obvious promotional track and the only reason I even bothered with this album. Ignoring the lack of chemistry in the music video, I can enjoy this song a lot more. It's catchy, has some good build ups, and the vocals are pretty good. It's also very addicting, but I could live without the robotic vocals and the dubstep break. SMEnt, step away from the dubstep! "Insaengeun Bitnatda (viva)" features some possible electronic guitars, deep bass grumbling at the base of the speakers, and a surprisingly catchy chorus. I was shocked that the follow up track would be this good. Sure, there's another dubstep break they could've been left out, but it has a simple beat and the sly, half whispered verses are kinda cool. "Destiny" mixes electronic elements and vintage R&B sounds for the mandatory love track that loses Miko's interest. "Binucheoreom (like A Soap)" takes a new direction with an upbeat tune of happy drums and a sweet acoustic guitar. This might work better with, I don't know, more members, but what they do with the vocals are good too. "I Don't Know" is a straight guitar pop tune that I can hear Britney Spears using...maybe a few years back or even solo Gwen Stefani. "Dream" is a cutesy song that really doesn't fit these men. It's meant for an anime opening. "How Are You" is another lovey dovey, acoustic ballad-y thing. "Getaway" wakes you up with the bombastic rock sound and makes you wonder if you're still listening to the same album, until you hear Yunho (I think) yelling at you. It almost works, but there's a lot of vocal strain. "I Swear" lulls me back to sleepy disinterest with an even softer love song. "Gorgeous" jumps back to the booming electronic sound. It has some interesting musical elements, but sounds like some other kpop rookie group I can't place at the moment. Not a bad song, considering I passed through some rather uninteresting tracks beforehand. "Good Night" surprisingly is a track I really like. It has that cheesy 90's R&B sound mixed with a good balance of electronic elements. The song really compliments the guys' vocals. Honestly, this sounds like a good love making song or something. Sensual and just enough charm. More of their love songs should sound like this. Now onto the repackaged material! Similar to "Catch Me", "Humanoids" is the only reason I bothered with the extra songs. The music video is even more cringe worthy, so it took me sometime to fully appreciate the song. It's a slightly weaker "Catch Me", but has this silly catchy chorus that just earworms into your mind with its electro-popness. "Here I Stand" is a track that tried to be U-KISS, but failed. It tries to be all cool and dynamic with its sprinkle of electronics, vocal levels, and upbeat chorus, but just falls flat.


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

Quick Music Review

MEJIBRAY - Sabbat (2012, Japan) Rating: 2/5
Favorite Tracks: Sabbat

After VanessA disbanded, Genki changed his name and joined MEJIBRAY. Now, I wasn't a fan of VanessA and the only reason I know about them was through a good friend (and some jrock news feeds). She sent me the PV for "Sabbat" and I checked it out. The song is pretty garbled at first with growls and heavy instruments. It has a few musical moments, but it all sounded like screaming noise. I wished there was more singing than screams and growls. On the other hand, I liked the visuals of the PV for it. "Akercock" begins with some more promising heavy instrumentals, then the screams and growls kick in...throughout the whole damn song. "Divergence" has some nice strong bass moments and the music is a little lighter than the previous tracks. I was so happy there was some actual singing, despite a few screams, but the sound is very generic visual kei and the vocals don't stand out that much. I think they've improved a little, but not by much. I might check back on this band and see if they've grown later, but for now I'm not that impressed.



Se7en - SE7EN 2ND MINI ALBUM (2012, South Korea) Rating: 3/5
Favorite Tracks: 내가 노래를 못해도, 그런 사람, 이해해, MAKE GOOD LOVE

From what I've seen through music videos for this album, I felt really bad for chicken shop owner Se7en. I was not excited to listen at all. "SOMEBODY ELSE" is a slow, electro-pop song that's a mixture of Big Bang's electronic leftovers and some borrowed arrangements from 2NE1 that never hooked me. This song is so...bland. Even the lyrics area blase. "ANGEL" is another soft song with acoustic guitar and sweet piano. It's about the same tempo as the first song and his voice sounds really nice, but the lyrical content is boring. How many songs in this world do we need that calls their loved one an angel? "내가 노래를 못해도" is a crossover with JYP, if you didn't hear it in the trademark vocal stamp. I really like the simple piano melody and the music is pretty simplistic too. Surprisingly, I like this way more than the previous tracks. It sticks to the original Se7en sound without all the fancy stuff and cheesiness. "그런 사람" features more piano, simplistic music, and highlighting the vocals. It has some pretty good transitions too to make the song more interesting. If you haven't noticed, this mini is very low tempo compared to Digital Bounce. I'm not complaining too much. Him and Rain are two of the few who can get away with ballads most times without making me annoyed. Anyway, "이해해" slows it down even more and is the purest sounding song on here. It's quite lovely with the soft vocals and violin/piano duo. If I had to pick a favorite track, it would be "MAKE GOOD LOVE". Now this could be borderline horny R. Kelly R&B track, but it's not that bad. It's a little more uptempo using string effects and classic R&B bass while cleverly layering the vocals effectively. After listening through this a couple times, I guess I can understand some fans' complaints about it being all slow songs, but if you're truly fan, you can find some good in these songs. They show his vocal skills off a lot more, if done right, and I'm not a big ballad/slow song fan either.



SHINee - Sherlock (2012, South Korea) Rating: 1.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Sherlock (Clue+Note), Alarm Clock

Still not fan of theirs, but I still listen to Lucifer proudly. I was curious how their comeback would turn out, especially with those uncomfortable gay French teaser photos. Then I saw "Sherlock (Clue+Note)" and the song wasn't that bad. It featured some retro horns and mixed it with some modern pop elements. Now the video, on the other hand, tempted me to start reviewing music videos on here because there was just a lot going on that made me facepalm (like Taemin's weave). Someone stop the Korean male weave epidemic, people! Anyway, back to the song, I think it has some great transitions and the boys' vocals are getting stronger too. Now the biggest "wtf" of this mini-album is that the first track is a combination of tracks 2 and 3. What was the point of separating them if they sound good together!? So, all the pop/dance bass whatever and horns are featured in "Clue" as well as the breakdown I liked. "Note" is all the upbeat, dancing sections and chorus, which sound a bit plain alone in some parts. I think "Clue" sounds more interesting than "Note", but this whole thing is confusing as hell and I don't know if SME was trying to troll or they're just being lazy on the tracklist for SHINee's comeback. Let's just move onto "Alarm Clock", which isn't that bad of a song. It's slower and the music is really unique. The harmonizations are just as good and I have a feeling I'll probably listen to this song to relieve the headache of trying to solve the first three tracks. "The Reason" is a slower song with some acoustic work and emotional vocals. "Stranger" brings in the intensity and a somewhat dancing feeling, but it sounds like a Super Junior reject song to me. "Honesty" closes out the comeback mini-album with some acoustic guitar and soft, "feel good" vocals. After writing this out and thinking about how I felt the first time I listened to this, I have a slight headache inkling in the back of my head. Thanks a lot, SHINee~



NOISEMAKER - PLATINUM SHOES (2012, Japan) Rating: 4.5/5
Favorite Tracks: Platinum Shoes, rule, CONTACT

Let me relieve my confusion with a new jrock band I came across. "TRUTH" starts off with some skilled guitar work and immediately pulls you in with intensity. The musical arrangement is a little all over the place, but it kinda follows the odd vocal inflections. If you saw in my recommendations, "Platinum Shoes" is responsible for getting me here on this review. It has some really great musical moments, admirable transitions, and the vocals feel so familiar to me like old ROACH, coldrain, or something. "rule" starts off softly with some wandering bass notes and subtle drums, then bursts out full on until it calms back down to a reminiscent Limp Bizkit echoy sound during the verses. I love it! "CONTACT" also highlights some bass guitar and slowly picks up the other instruments before the vocals join. It has another Limp Bizkit sound to it. I'm not complaining, it still sounds fresh. "TITLE IS MYSELF" goes back to the sound of the second track with prominent bass and wandering guitar notes. The vocals show a few flaws in the high notes, but it doesn't take away from the song. "WE SHOULD COME BACK" closes out the mini-album with a more aggressive sound without going overboard and trying to sound like other heavier bands. It kinda sounds like Rage Against the Machine in the drumming section, but it quickly detours a different direction.



VII-Sense - Silent Assassin (2012, Japan) Rating: 4/5
Favorite Tracks: Silent Assassin, Yuki no Kiseki...

If you haven't read before, I really enjoy "Silent Assassin". It takes a different direction both musically and vocally. Shaura sounds less like a Kamijo clone and the music doesn't make me think of Dio leftovers either. The transitions are very unexpected, but it keeps you even more interested in the song, especially the guitaring. "Blind Resentment" begins a bit cheesy with Victorian era sounds and dramatics. It's a big downgrade from the sounds of the previous track, especially with the opera vocals. "Yuki no Kiseki..." brings back all the hope I had from the beginning of this single and a little more. It is a beautiful track and really shows off the band's progress. It's sad to know now that this young band is breaking up this year, but I'm crossing my fingers that someone can save it from disbanding or something. Either way, this single is amazing and I'm very proud of them.


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