This is an experimental thread that I have decided to start. We are looking for members to write album/single reviews for the main site, so your works may appear on soompi's main site as well (with credits back to you).

I know that a lot of members are fans of a certain artist because of both their hot looks and their music. When writing an album/single review, let's focus on the music side of it and try to give an unbiased opinion. For example, we are not looking for comments like "I like this album because xxx is the hottest thing on earth".

Here is the format that I would like to use:

[album/single title]

[album/single cover picture]

[track list in Korean or English, with title song(s) highlighted]

[Overall Comment about this singer and this album/single (e.g. Vol. 3, first release in 3 years....)]

[Comments on the title song(s)]

[Other songs you recommend in this album/single]

[Closing (summary) comments and whether you recommend this album/single]

[Ratings (from a scale of 1 to 5):]

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

[also indicate whether you would like your work to be appeared on soompi's main site]


We welcome reviews on all albums/singles, whether it is a new or old release. Constructive criticism is allowed but remember no bashing, whether it is to the artist or to the member who wrote the review.

We used to have an official album thread but it is not very popular, I'll see if this one is popular or not. If there are too few responses, I'll close the thread after a while.

I'll start by contributing a review:

Zi-A - Voice of Heaven

01. Absentmindedly
02. Together With The Star In My Heart (Duet With KCM)
03. Guardian Angel
04. Love Is Like The Rainwater Outside The Window
05. Of Course
06. Absentmindedly (Piano Ver.)

Zi-A is a rookie female singer who remains faceless at this moment, even though some of us might have watched her duet with KCM on Yoon Do Hyun Love Letter a few months ago. Some people mistakenly thought Zi-A was the face on the album cover, but actually it was actress Kim Ok Bin, who starred (together with actor Shin Hyun Joon) in Zi-A's mega production MV on three of the songs from this mini-album.

Korea's top songwriter Cho Young Soo (who has written many hits for SG Wannabe, See Ya, Kim Jong Kook, KCM, etc.) is in charge of this mini-album. The title song "Absentmindedly" (물끄러미) is as good a ballad as you have heard all year. An attractive piano arrangement with Zi-A's smooth voice plus the movie-like MV making this an instant hit. Part II of the MV featured track 2 "Together With The Star In My Heart", a lovely duet with KCM. Part III of the MV is "Guardian Angel", which is a more up-tempo song in the mini-album. Aside from the title song, my 2nd favorite is track 5 "Of Course" (물론) and this is the song Zi-A dueted with KCM on Yoon Do Hyun Love Letter. A solo version is recorded on the album.

Zi-A is not considered to have a powerful voice. Instead, she has a very smooth voice with good singing techniques. She reminded me of another female singer Suh Young Eun. She definitely fits the description "Voice of Heaven". I am waiting for her to eventually come out to perform, and by that time, I am sure her popularity will rise to another level. It is definitely an album to recommend.

Rating: 5/5

Ratings breakdown:
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Ohhhh...I like this thread. We're only allowed to post up Korean albums, right?
So no singles either?

V Okay, Edward, that's awesome!
Biasedness is never a problem for me...I'm always up for critiquing xD.

Okay, I'll relax the requirement a little bit.

Singles are fine, and also K-pop singers who release albums/singles in other languages are also okay to review.

Zhang Liyin/Jang Riin - Timeless

1. Timeless (Feat. Xiah Junsu of TVXQ)
2. Y (why...)
3. Timeless (Feat. Xiah Junsu of TVXQ) (Instrumental)
4. Y (why...) (Instrumental)

Zhang Liyin is a female solo artiste from SM Entertainment and the first Chinese solo artiste in Korea. Her debut was on Sept 9, 2006 with her hit single Timeless. She has been called by many, and even Lee Sooman himself, as the leader of the Hallyu Wave. Although only a rookie singer, she has already won the Mutizen Award on SBS Inkigayo and the Best New Solo Artist Award at the 2006 MKMF Music Video Awards. Han Geng and Choi Siwon of Super Junior, and Lee Yeonhee, an actress under SM, starred in the MV for her title song, Timeless.

Her title song, a duet with Xiah Junsu of TVXQ, is Timeless, a remake of Justin Guarini and Kelly Clarkson's song of the same name. The Korean lyrics were written by Kenzie, who has written many other hit songs. The title song talks about a love that is ultimately timeless in the face of challenges. In Timeless, there are many high notes and on her debut, she was heavily criticized for her inability to reach the notes. However she improved significantly in her later live performances. The two-part music video for Timeless features Liyin singing in Korean in part I and Chinese in part II. The second song on her Timeless single is another remake, this time of Jamelle Fraley's Powerless.. Liyin's version of Powerless (called Why (Y...) on her single) is a song that further showcases her R&B voice and talent.

Although she had a shaky start in her career as a singer, she definitely has a voice to be reckoned with. She has a unique voice that is able to reach those difficult high notes. Although she has been called the "Chinese BoA", her singing is quite different from BoA, as heard in this single. I believe this single is really worth trying out.

Rating: 4/5

---------------
Edward: Is this how you want the reviews to be like? I wasn't sure so yeah. If it's not right, I'll edit it.

^^ That's perfect. Thanks for the review. I hope more members are going to contribute.

READ: Guys, regardless if you're a fan or not, try to be honest as possible. With the reviews we have so far, we're gonna end up having billions of 5/5 reviews, and we're trying to recommend some decent albums; so yeah. Try raising your reviewng standards. Cuz, as the rating breakdown says, 5/5 should be only albums that both fans & nonfans should go out & buy, not take a listen to.


Chae Yeon Vol. 4
- sorry Edward, I thought I sent this one to you, but I guess it wasn't sent. :/

1 My Love
2 한 사람
3 부탁
4 낯설은 거짓말
5 게임
6 아련한 기다림
7 서투른 사랑
8 Tell Me
9 고귀한 사랑
10 서글픈 이별
11 Party Tonight
12 My Love (Global Re-Mix)
13 낯설은 거짓말 (Benny Re-Mix)
14 서투른 사랑 (Mojo House Re-Mix)
15 My Love (Bossa Re-Mix)

Chae Yeon yet again comes back with another album, with hopes of trying to cover up her not so successful third album. Her fourth album, unsurprisingly, consists of mainly dance songs with some spices, and little ballads that do justice to her talent. Like her third album, no songs really stand out, and only one or two ballads are memorable. Her title song My Love contains some Latin feel, but is not very outstanding. It sounds like a very typical dance song, and unless Chae Yeon creates a hit through a hit dance, it will be hard for her to hit the charts with this song. A different song that Chae Yeon performed during her come back was 부탁 (Promise), and this song is just as mediocre, although it is a bit more promising with its unique arrangement and melody. Not many dance songs stand out, with the exception of 서글픈 이별 (Lonely Breakup). This is a much slower dance song with a very unique and interesting melody and chorus. Besides that, the other songs sound much like filler.

The few ballads in the album are probably the best songs, and songs such as 한사람 (One Person) and 아련한 기다림 (Misty Await), are very good. Chae Yeon shows she can sing through the songs, and the melodies are very pleasant.

However, overall, like her third album, this album is below mediocre. Hopefully, her fifth will bring the omph that she had in her second album, with the song Two of Us.

Rating: 2/5

BIGBANG: ALWAYS


1. 우린 빅뱅 (intro)
2. 거짓말
3. 없는 번호
4. 아무렇지 않은 척 (T.O.P Solo) (Featuring 지은)
5. Oh Ma Baby
6. Always

Hip-hop sensation BIG BANG returns with new music just in time for their anniversary. This album consists of a fresh style, but still has the Big Bang touch. The title song, 거짓말 (Lies), is a catchy house-style number written and composed by YG's prodigy, Big Bang's own G-Dragon. Another title track, Always, is written by 1TYM's Teddy, which captures listeners with sad lyrics and a nostalgic melody. The intro song is a bit different from the ones in their previous singles as this one showcases certain members' vocals. Also, 없는 번호 (No Number) has a somewhat catchy tune and is certainly worth a try. TOP impresses us with an immensely better solo than his previous, featuring new YG artiste Ji Eun. And finally, Oh Ma Baby is touching song with equally touching lyrics.

Although having debuted for only a little over a year, Big Bang is a group to be on the lookout for. They have shown that they are able to adapt well to different styles, as seen by their recent success in the charts and shows.

Overall, I think most fans and non-fans will agree when I say that this album is definitely worth a listen.


Rating: 5/5

I decided to write a review for Ji Eun's album, i'm not a big fan of her, i'm not into R&B/ballad either, but this may be the best R&B/ballad i've heard ever. Ironically, my English is not very good.

Ji Eun - Rain


1. Yesterday Different From Today
2. Rain
3. Tell Me Once
4. Choice
5. One Night Lover
6. I'm Sorry
7. Miss You
8. Let You Borrow
9. Love Is Over
10. Separation Is Common To Me
11. Please Stop Now
12. Relationship Between Her and I


Ji Eun, who gained a lot of attention by featuring in many famous artistes' albums such as Whee Sung, Taebin... and recently Lexy's hit Up To The Sky, is YG Family's the newest talent. After four years of training and collecting experience, Ji Eun finally debuted with her first offical album - Rain. Let's see if this girl satisfied audiences' expectations.

Ji Eun's album Rain is a little different from what people often think about YG's artistes like Lexy or Big Bang. This album doesn't consist of only R&B and upbeat songs, it also has many great ballads. There're a lot of ballad/R&B artistes these days, but i think Ji Eun is the most outstanding. On the one hand, she owns a strong voice that is able to reach high notes and a great singing skill that original R&B songs demand; on the other hand, Ji Eun's voice is also unique, limpid and emotive in ballads. People will be pleased to hear her album with many great R&B as well as ballads.

The album's title track is Yesterday Different From Today. It was composed by Lee Hyun Jung, who is known for many hits such as Whee Sung's Useless and Big Mama's Break Away. Yesterday Different From Today is a moving R&B/ballad. It is not too different from other typical Korean ballads, but Ji Eun is able to show off her powerful voice, as the song's high notes and ligatures require a lot of skill to perform it. The sad music video, about the separation through a car accident, and the touching lyrics fit this song perfectly. The title track's not the only great song in this album, it contains many more good songs such as Rain and Love Is Over. Choice is really a great R&B song, a combination of Ji Eun, Lee Eun Joo & Whee Sung while Separation Is Common To Me, like the title track, once again gives a strong impression of the singer's talent. The only weakness in Ji Eun's album is her upbeat songs like One Night Lover and I'm Sorry... they're all catchy, but not as great as the ballads.

Ji Eun didn't have a lot of promotional activities for this album and she's rather underrated, but this girl is really talented and her debut album is good as well - definitely worth giving it a try.


Rating: 4/5

Note: If you like ballads, this album will be 5/5. But if you expect this album to be like Lexy's style, you may be quite disappointed.

Don't Don (돈돈)



1. 돈 돈! (Don't Don)
2. 소원이 있나요 (Sapphire Blue)
3. You're My Endless Love (말하자면)
4. 미워 (Hate U, Love U)
5. Disco Drive
6. Marry U
7. I Am
8. 사랑이 떠나다 (She's Gone)
9. Missin' U
10. 거울 (Mirror)
11. 우리들의 사랑 (Our Love)
12. Midnight Fantasy
13. Thank You
14. Bonus Track 아주 먼 옛날 (Song For You)

Super Junior, the thirteen-member band, are back again with their anticipated second album after one year and four months. SM has done an excellent job of concealing their new image until the final release date. Super Junior are known for their amount of members and had been doing recent activities without their 12th member, Kyu Hun. Now, all the boys are back with extreme hairstyles to fit their grunge and punk style.

Don't Don is a song with a hard message about the world, money and corruption. Similar to their other hit song 'TWINS', they come out hard with the message in a rock, grunge style. The song has a lot of variety in sound, such as the drum beats, electric guitar riffs and even the solo of a violin player, who is a trainee in SM and will soon debut.

This album isn't all grunge and rock though, it includes a variety of light hearted songs such as Sapphire Blue and lovely ballads such as Marry U. A lot of the ballads show that the members' voices have matured and they have learned to harmonize the many vocals well. They even remade the Korean Christian song "Song for You". Their lyrics are also very strong and the raps were written by a few members.

This second album has proved that Super Junior have matured. Their talent really shines through the variety of songs, expecially their ballads. Though they are disliked for their large amount of members and their lip-synching, they really are trying hard to make it far. This album proves that it's not only 3 members that can sing, they all can... except for the rappers of course

4/5

^Kyuhyun is the 13th member, not the 12th. =]

do you know where we can dl?

I'm just getting my opinion through ^^

Firstly I think we should rate each song in the album/single and describe if it was good or not [e.g. Lyrics, Vocals, Song Structure etc.] so that people could have an idea of what it's about..Genre of the song may be good too.
This way it's much harder to judge which song was really good or not and that makes an honest review ^^

Secondly: If everyone just gave a 4 or a 5.. Nobody would have an idea what they should get anyways ._.

Glad if it would help people out ^^

I'm not bossing around I'm just making things better ^^

i have a question. can we request reviews too?

For once, I shall contribute..


Rocket Diary- vol.1 District 13

release date: 2/6/2007
language: Korean
genre: punk/alternative



01 District 13
02 태양을 건너 (Crossing the sun)
03 On My Way
04 Heart Messenger
05 Wanna Be
06 너의 냄새가 없어 (Your Smell is Gone)
07 Morning Glory
08 What You Want?
09 My Stage! My Friends!
10 Tonight
11 She Makes Me Cry

*I review very harshly, just so you know*

1. One of my favorite tracks on the album. The music is great, and I love the guitar in the beginning. Also love the bridge. Slightly husky vocals, works with the song. 9/10

2. Don't really like this one. Not very memorable. For me, it's one of those songs that after it's all done, i'm like.. what did I just listen to? 2/10

3. The vocals are smoother in this song and the song itself is more mellow than some of the others. Me likes! 9/10

4. This song is pretty OK, but I don't like how he seems to sing at a slower pace.. makes me impatient. Vocals sound a bit off in the chorus. 6.5/10

5. This song is cute... talks about how he wants to be rockstar xD. Memorable beat. 7/10

6. *yawn* pretty boring. Though I do like the parts right before the chorus.. 2/10

7. I was confused... the vocalist kept repeating, "태양을 건너" which is the title of the 2nd song... I was like, wait, did they put 2 of the same song!? After many listens... no they are different. As I said, the 2nd song wasn't memorable...and I think this one is some sort of 2nd version. Anywho, this version is better. 6.5/10

8. Pretty good! You have to give it a few listens though... 7/10

9. This song is pretty good... but it bugs me that the vocalist says "stage" in 2 syllables during the chorus (stai-gee .. ). 6/10

10. The BEST SONG in the album. Everything is perfect. I used to put this song on repeat.. 10/10

11. Softest song in the album. It's good overall... it's somewhat like rap... no, more like fast talking. Chorus is singing though. 8.5/10


Harsh right? I actually sorta LIKE this album too!
Rocket Diary sounds a lot like the American band, The Ataris. Especially the vocals: a bit husky. (If you don't mind American bands, definitely check them out!). They're a bit like Jimmy Eat World too..the music is pretty similar. I like Rocket Diary because they're a breath of fresh air, and even though the punk scene in Korea is pretty much nonexistant, this band pulls it off very well.


Overall, the album is a good start. I look forward to their future works. You MUST check out the song "Tonight." If you like it, I suggest you look into the whole album. You can listen to the song, "District 13" here: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fusea...endID=245721475


4/5

*note*: I think it will be only natural that a lot of the reviews will be 4/5 or 5/5 ... I spent like 30min doing this, and I definitely wouldn't have if I didn't like it, you know?

QUOTE(s2naomii @ Sep 25 2007, 04:05 PM)

Don't Don (돈돈)
12th member, Kyu Hun.

Kyuhyun is the 13th member, not 12th. I believe Kibum or Ryeowook is the 12th. I think it's Ryeowook.
Don't Dun is definately the best!! Their theme is really good also.
But it's kind of the same as DBSK's 1st Album/Single Tri-Angle.
All the people of Earth, they lost love, they are tired of hearing, all the bad things going on earth.
Same concept, different wordings, but still oh so good.
At least I think the rhythm is good also. (:

Cheerful Sensibility (Album)

1. 사랑앓이
2. 행복합니다
3. 천둥
4. 한사람맘
5. 집착
6. 남자의 첫사랑은 무덤까지 간다
7. 하지말래요
8. FT Island
9. Reo Reo
10. Primadonna
11. 마중
12. 사랑하는 법을 몰라서
13. 첫키스

It's their first album they've ever made since they debuted in 2007, which is this year. Their newest MV that was relased on October 5th, I thought that was a the best MV they've ever made. Unlike other MVs where they have the celebrities stand in front of the camera and acts very emotional, this MV has a plot. It is as if you are watching a mini 20 minutes-short-drama. The whole album has a great beat when they are using the bass and drums. Like what others might say, this whole track song titles is all about love, I actually agree. I recommend "남자의 첫사랑은 무덤까지 간다", "천둥", and "한사람맘".

[Ratings (from a scale of 1 to 5):] : 5/5

[also indicate whether you would like your work to be appeared on soompi's main site]
If soompiers thinks it's good, then maybe.

EVAN - HARD to BREATH



01. Intro
02. This song
03. 남자도...어쩔 수 없다 (MV)
04. Eternal sunshine
05. 사랑은...
06. 반 (半)
07. 날 위로하지 않는 밤
08. 위로 (Such A Good Place)
09. Overcome
10. Where is your heart
11. All about your love
12. Always in my head
13. 우리 이쩌면 만약에...

Five years later after his farewell with Click-B, Yoo Ho Suk now known as Evan debuted his first solo album “Hard to Breath” under former H.O.T member Tony An Entertainment. I was unsure of what to expect from this album since Evan debuted with Click-B at a very young age. However, do not let his good looks fool you! Evan is now all grown up with strong in-depth vocal, a unique music style and a completely difference image.

Expect to see a lot more from Evan in the future. His current album satisfied high expectations. Most of the songs on this album are R&B ballads, however occasionally you will hear an upbeat song like “All about your love” or one of my favorite songs on this album “Eternal Sunshine”. Also, do not forget to listen to "Where is your heart" a song that not only has a catchy beat but also shows versatility. This is a great album, I enjoy listening to every songs. Although, it might take you a while to really understand the in-dept of this album, due to it complexity. It is WORTH IT~

His debut music video “Even men feel helpless” track no.3 is however, somewhat disappointing, I did not find the music video interesting at all due to it lack of originality. The music video itself somewhat remind me of “Epik High – Fan” where Epik High music video is a lot more interesting to watch. Although, I understand that the song is suppose to be a slow R&B ballad but did it really have to bore the audience that much? What is so interesting about looking at man tie to a chair for almost 4 minutes? It is a good thing that Evan is extremely good-looking; if it were not for his good looks, I would not even watch the whole video. Overall, the music video did not do the song any justice! In my opinion if this music video has an interesting storyline and a good concept, it would have boosted Evan popularity to a completely new level because his album is simply amazing. I recommend this album to everyone, go get it! After listening to the album you would wonder what really happen to him while making this album (is he heart broken? love sick? depress?) it is so passionate and personal that I felt his pain.

Album rating:
5/5

However, if you completely hate slow song it would be 4/5
_______________________________________________________
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.


[also indicate whether you would like your work to be appeared on soompi's main site]

Yes, let everyone know they need to go out and buy this album!

Enjel (엔젤) - Vol. 1 My name Is Enjel

1 My Name Is EnJel (Featuring TKO Of Trespass)
2 Holla Back (Featuring 237 Of Mighty Mouth)
3 Pop (Featuring Annie K)
4 Out (Featuring Shorry J Of Mighty Mouth)
5 마지막 전화
6 Skit : Phone Call
7 현장고발 Cheaters (Featuring Annie K)
8 따라와 (Featuring 태완 A.k.a C-Luv)
9 Make Up (Featuring N-Son Of V.I.P)
10 바보야 (1003)...
11 이대로 사랑할까봐 (Featuring 태완 A.k.a C-Luv)
12 Special Night (Featuring Vasco)
13 떠날까봐

Former CLEO member, Enjel isn't a rookie in the music industry. However, 2007 is a new year for the young singer, as she begins her journey as a solo singer. Leaving the CLEO image behind, My Name Is Enjel offers a new side with the singer adapting to the sexier look and sound. With that said, don't push Enjel aside as another "sexy" singer as she has quite the voice. My Name Is Enjel is a good album for fans of Hip-hop and R&B, with Enjel collaborating with numerous artists such as Annie K.

POP (featuring Annie K) is something that you can expect from any sexy singer nowadays in the Korean pop industry. Thumping beats, sliding vocals and also a rather provocative music video to go along, it's all there. However, the song still remains surprisingly catchy and the rap added by Annie K definitely heightens the tracks performance. Enjel also gives quite a powerful vocal performance by the end of the song, that might make you think twice before you throw the album away.

Don't expect the album to be full of just the same sounding R&B and Hip-hop tracks. OUT is a surprisingly catchy R&B track that uses a much more toned down sound. Flowing chorus' and great vocal control from Enjel also make this a highlight on the album. Songs like Majimak Hwa and Baboya are able to express Enjel's clear and enjoyable vocals by changing the sound to elegant and graceful ballads.

Overall, don't pass this album up or expect it to turn out like some other albums released by the sexy Kpop squad this year. This album has definitely proven that Enjel has the potential to be a powerhouse artist. Some songs may sound similar, but there are definitely some very good tracks that stand out and might even amaze you.

Rating: 3/5
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

*This review can be added to the soompi site.

Wonder Girls - Vol. 1 The Wonder Years

01 . I wanna
02 . 이 바보
03 . Tell me (Sampling from “Two Of Hearts”)
04 . Friend
05 . Headache
06 . 뭐 어때(Feat. David Kim)
07 . Wishing on a star
08 . Move(Feat. 이민우 for MRISING Entertainment)
09 . 가져가
10 . Good bye
11 . Bad boy
12 . 미안한 마음
13 . Irony

With numerous new boybands and girlgroups coming out in the recent year, its hard to push them apart and see which ones really stand out. However, if there is one girlgroup that has proven that they don't need to follow the natural order, it is the Wonder Girls. Debuting early in the year with the hit Irony, these girls have gotten quite a solid fanbase, with their smooth dance moves and strong vocal abilities. However, will their debut album match up to that of their successful hit single?

Tell me would be considered a swift change for those who got into the girls through their debut song, Irony. Instead of a heavy pounding R&B track, we are instead given a light 80's retro pop song. One might then be turned off by just that. 80's music? No one likes 80's music. However, listen to this song and you'll be hooked. Through their airy vocals, classy dance moves and a hilarious music video, it wouldn't be surprising seeing yourself singing along to the song before long. Maybe this'll help you get over the fear of trying an ancient genre.

If that isn't all, old fans will enjoy listening to past favourites such as 미안한 마음, Bad Boy or the ever amazing, Irony. New songs such as I wanna, a fast paced flying disco track or the freaky, yet catchy dance track, Headache, might also capture your attention. Maybe you prefer a gentle ballad, such as Friend or a smooth midtempo R&B track such as 가져가, this album has quite the variety for many music fans.

In the end, be sure to check out the Wonder Girls album, as you might find yourself either dancing or singing along to several songs on this fun album.

Rating: 4/5
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

*This review can be added to the soompi site.

Byul (별) - Vol. 4 Her Story

01 . 미워도 좋아
02 . 연애의 정석 (feat. TK)
03 . 열한번
04 . 물풍선(12월 32일 그 이후...)
05 . 세상의 반 (feat. HOODY)
06 . 단꿈 (드라마 '오버 더 레인보우' OST)
07 . Yes I am
08 . 투정 (feat. DYNY - MIC)
09 . 잊혀진 것들 속으로
10 . 서툰 기대
11 . 마음이 (영화 '마음이' OST)

Byul, who is mainly known for singing the theme song I think I... for the popular drama, Full House (featuring Rain & Song Hye Kyo), has finally hit 2007 with her 4th album. Vol. 4 shows Byul taking a large step up with not only heartwrenching ballads that she is popular for, but also with different styles involved. It's no wonder she's called Star, as this album is perfect for fans.

미워도 좋아 is used as the title track and it's no wonder why. A heartwrenching ballad that shows off not only Byul's strong voice but also her emotion, Byul has definitely proven herself with just this. A gentle piano to start it off, followed by a beautiful underlying string arrangement, new and old fans will definitely see themselves humming to this song about hating and loving someone. If that's not all, Byul pushes beyond the boundaries of what she normally does, by incorporating a huskier sound in her voice. Don't pass this song up for another Kpop ballad, as Byul might prove you wrong.

Other good songs on the album include 단꿈, a charming ballad with a captivating melody, that allows Byul to once again fuse her voice and emotion into one. For those who want something a little more upbeat, R&B fans will have a great time with 투정, a unusual change for Byul. Don't be surprised if you find yourself bobbing your head to this one, as the use of background vocals with the catchy and light melody will definitely stick in your head for quite a while.

All in all, try the album out. Byul has definitely shown a large improvement when compared to previous works. Not only does she try out different genres, but does them with ease. With that said, Byul does a great job with her strongest area, ballads, so fans should not worry.

Rating: 4/5
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

*This review can be added to the soompi site.

Lexy (렉시) - Vol. 3 Rush

01 . Get Up (intro)
02 . Rush
03 . 쿵쿵
04 . 하늘위로
05 . Baby Boy
06 . Hit This Party
07 . Super Fly
08 . Get That
09 . Left To The Right
10 . Big Lexy
11 . 하늘위로 (REMIX)

Need a little fun this year? Tired of the boring ballads or preppy pop songs? Then try out Lexy's 3rd album, Rush. Released more than 2 years after her highly anticipated second album, Lexy had once again proved that she is a powerhouse performer. Her deep, yet sexy vocal style adds depth to her songs while her swift and slick rapping is just something to be amazed by. If that isn't enough to make you try this album out, Lexy has collaborated with numerous artists on the album, including Big Bang's Taeyang, TOP and G-Dragon, R&B songstress Ji Eun or YG's well known trainee, Park Bom.

하늘위로 is just pure fun. Pounding beats, silly synths, a hypnotizing melody and Ji Eun being featured will definitely make this song get stuck in your head. Lexy gives us a taste of her well known rapping, while also incorporating her sexy style of singing, that goes nicely with the heavy and repetitive beats. If you aren't satisfied then, you can also check out the remix version which gives the song an extra dance sound, leaving out the strong hip-hop beats for a lighter, but enchanting quality.

Songs like Get Up (intro) or Rush incorporate the popular Taeyang of Big Bang, who not only gives each of these songs a airy sounding quality, but also acts as an opposite to Lexy's strong rapping. If you're already having fun with those songs, 쿵쿵 brings a mix of both dance and R&B in one. A repetitive, yet catchy melody, this song seems to bring everything from the title track as well as Rush. Some will also have fun with songs like the melodic Super Fly, or the smooth Baby Boy.

So if you want an album that is fun, yet solid, don't be afraid to try this album out. Each and every track is full of top-notch quality, so if you like 1 song, you'll probably like the rest.

Rating: 5/5
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

*This review can be added to the soompi site.

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SNSD - Girls' Generation

1. 소녀시대 (Girls' Generation)
2. Ooh La-La!
3. Baby Baby
4. Complete
5. Kissing You
6. Merry-Go-Round
7. 그대를 부르면 (Tears)
8. Tinkerbell
9. 7989 [Kangta & Tae Yeon Duet]
10. Honey
11. Into The New World


This is SNSD's first highly-anticipated album. SNSD (So Nyuh Shi Dae/少女時代/소녀시) is SM's 9 member girl group consisting of leader Tae Yeon, Seo Hyun, Hyo Yeon, Soo Young, Tiffany, Yoona, Yuri, Jessica and Sunny. They're all skilled in singing, dance and languages including English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

Into The New World is their famous and popular song which they debuted with in August 1st, 2007. It's a very catchy, happy pop track with an equally cute and catchy dance. Girls' Generation is the latest single, which also has a cute and happy beat and feel to it.

Other recommended tracks include Merry-Go-Round which is a sweet, catchy song where the girls harmonize very well and Tears, a ballad, which is different to their other dancey songs but still shows their vocals nicely. One of the other 'talked-about' songs is Tae Yeon and Kangta's duet 7989.

Overall, the album does include quite catchy songs - mainly cute, dancey pop ones or slower, sweet songs. SNSD do have good voices and sound even better singing together.

4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.


* This review can be added to the Soompi site.

Park Jung Ah (박정아) - Vol. 1 Yeah

01 . My time
02 . 결국...사랑 (Featuring 전제덕)
03 . Yeah...
04 . 눈물을 멈추고
05 . Fly Away
06 . D-day(하루만 더)
07 . Don't let me go
08 . Beautiful today
09 . 이러지 마세요
10 . 약해질까봐
11 . You're my friend

When one hears of the word Jewelry in Korean music, they think of the girl group that switched between Japan and Korea, who were known for their catchy songs. Since their debut however, many members have left, though 2 have still stayed in hopes of the group returning from their current status. Park Jung Ah has always been known for her voice, whether it was singing lead for that popular group or now, as a soloist. Yeah is Park Jung Ah's debut solo effort and it is by far one of the strongest albums out there. The switch from the mainstream pop to a powerful and solid pop/rock sound definitely puts Jung Ah at the top. So how good is this album you say?

If one were to describe the title track, Yeah, in a simple way, it would be this: "Damn amazing". Park Jung Ah pulls off one of her best performances yet. Sweet, but calm in the verses, Jung Ah totally switches around in the chorus', where she provides an edgier quality to her voice that goes great with the song, allowing it to flourish with the true attitude it deserves. If her voice isn't good enough to get you into the song, the song itself will. A sweet, but insanely catchy pop melody added with great lyrics about standing tall again prove that this isn't another average love song. If there is one song to listen to, it is this one!

Though Yeah is definitely the highpoint of the album, there are other amazing tracks on the album. My Time incorporates a much rougher rock quality to the sound, though the overall structure is similar to that of Yeah. Park Jung Ah also gives a much stronger vocal performance which will leave you with goosebumps. However, for those who want to relax, Eventually Love (결국...사랑) is the perfect track for you. Whether it's the soothing acoustic guitars with Jung Ah's controlled, but sweet vocals, this is also a great addition to the album, especially when she performs it live. Other great tracks include everything else on the album.

So if you're in the mood for some rocking, or just some acoustic love, Yeah is one of the best out there. The album screams with quality from the first to the last track. Park Jung Ah has definitely put out a strong foot in the soloist field and it will be hard to top this great album. YEAH!

5/5
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Mary Story Vol. 1 Mary Story



Track List:
01 sum
02 ituhya handa
03 nuh ubsin hangbokhal su ubjanah
04 majimaki oneyo
05 U Know I LUV U
06 gregre nuhn
07 Believe
08 Movie, In Love
09 nuh ubsin hangbokhal su ubjanah (Original Ver.)
10 maria
11 I
12 bimyeong
13 Stay Again


I don't know much about this group but they seem to be a new rock ballad band since this is their first album. The album is full of love songs; there isn't even one "happy" song. Through out the album, you hear one man's anguish and pain with electrifying instruments to make you bop your head a bit.

nuh ubsin hangbokhal su ubjanah is a good title song with "typical" rock rhythms. What I mean by "typical" rock rhythms is that it starts out with a bang, slows down, picks up its pace, slows down, etc. The song is very easy to listen and the singer is full of emotion in this song, and in other songs too.

Another song that I love as much as the title song is "U Know I LUV U." Again, this album is full of heart wrenching sounds. "Maria" is another great song and this is the song that, I think, comes pretty close to a hardcore rock song because you hear him scream the name Maria.

I highly recommend this album to those that like to listen to ballad songs with a mixture of rock in them. Mary Story is similar to F.T. Island but Mary Story is more heavy rock oriented. One complaint is that Mary Story's sounds lack "originality." Some of the instrumental sounds remind me of other American songs or other Korean songs. Also, all the songs, if not for the different lyrics, sound the same. However, do not avoid this album. I think their album is very easy to listen to. If you feel like banging your head a bit while being moved by a sad voice, this is definitely the album for you!

According to the Soompi ratings, I give this a 5/5 because 5/5 = Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy. But, if I were to judge it for it's creativity and quality, I give this a 3.8 (which is definitely good, imo).


Rating=5/5

Younha - Vol. 1.5 Comet



01 Comet
02 More of Just the Two of Us
03 During the First Snow
04 Touch
05 Under One Umbrella
06 Holding Hands
07 If
08 A Bright Sky Tomorrow
09 Promise
10 Sunflower
11 Blue Light Lemon
12 Orange First Love
13 Remembrances are Wonderful Memories
14 Comet (Instrumental)
15 First Snow (Instrumental)

Younha has made a comeback after her huge success with her first Korean album in the beginning of this year. She has already won many awards including Best New Solo Artiste at the Mnet Korean Music Festival Awards. In October, Younha released a Korean version of her debut Japanese album, Go! Younha and unsurprisingly, it has been doing well with the title track, Comet, which was the ending theme song for the Japanese anime, Bleach. Younha is doing exceptionally well on music charts with this song. Other tracks enclosed in this album are various singles Younha released in Japan since 2004. The album consists of lively Japanese-style ballads, along with powerful piano playing, making a total of 15 songs in this 1.5 album.

The title track Comet, which may be the reason for Younha's rising fame in Japan, is sung in Korean in this album. The piano and guitar instrumentals blend especially well with Younha's strong vocals. This energetic song makes listeners want to sing along to the lyrics.

My personal favorites in this album are tracks 03 First Snow, 05 Under One Umbrella, and 06 Holding Hands. Track 03 is a ballad about the realization of love during the first snow. Younha starts off calmly and leads listeners to a dramatic chorus. Track 05 starts off with soothing instrumentals and later on with Younha's vocals. The song is very calming and is a must-listen. It is also my favorite track of the album. This medium-tempo song has positive lyrics of a relationship which would change a person's world. Track 06 is a bit more upbeat and once again the background instrumentals will lure listeners.

There are a variety of up-tempo and medium-tempo songs as well as ballads, so fans will enjoy this album. Korean listeners especially may enjoy this album as they are able to hear the lyrics of the songs in their native language. However, because this album is basically a remake of her previous Japanese album, it may not interest all listeners who are familiar with the Japanese versions of the songs. Also the styles of the songs are different from her original Korean songs, so people who became Younha fans through her Korean songs may not enjoy this album as much. On a more positive note, this album includes two instrumentals which are not available in the Japanese album.

Rating: 3/5
As mentioned before, because Comet is basically a remake album, unless you are a fan, you might not want to add this to your collection because these songs were already released in Japanese.

Lim Jeong Hee (임정희) - Vol. 3 Before I Go J-Lim



01 . Before I Go J-LIM
02 . 사랑에 미치면 (Feat. 아웃캐스트 빅보이&J.Y.PARK "THE ASIAN SOUL") (Sarange Mijimyeon Ft. Outcast's Big Boi & J.Y.PARK "THE ASIAN SOUL")
03 . 품 (Pum)
04 . 사랑의 반대말 (Sarangeui Bandaemar)
05 . 해요 (Feat. 미료 from Brown eyed girls) (Haeyo)
06 . LOVE (Feat. PDOGG)
07 . 그녀에게 가버리세요 (Geunyuege Gabeoriseyo)
08 . 안돼 (Andwae)
09 . 이런 사랑 저런 사랑 (Feat.J.Y.PARK "THE ASIAN SOUL") (Iri Sarang Jeoreon Sarang)
10 . 이별선언 (Ebyeorseoneon)
11 . 들어요 (Feat. K.will) (Deureoyo)
12 . 사랑이 끝나면 (Sarangi Ggeutnamyeon)

Often considered the Korean counterpart of Alicia Keys, Lim Jeong Hee has developed quite a fanbase in her recent years of work. Though she said she was going to pursue a career in the US, it seems that the songstress has returned a bit to release her 3rd Korean album. Before I Go J-Lim has continued where her first and second albums left off at and has continued her stable success in the Korean industry. The album also provides a nice set of collaborations from Outcast's Big Boi to the man who started her career, JYP.

Sarange Mijimyeon is a great way to get into the album. Though not as strong as her previous first singles, the song contains J-Lim's R&B vibes as well as her signature vocals. Husky, yet powerful, J-Lim is one of the best singers in the Korean industry these days and it is easily visible throughout this song. Hitting all the high notes right on, J-Lim also shows off her ability to control her vocals. But that isn't all the song offers. The use of the acoustic guitar during the verses definitely allows the song to vibrate, while the added percussion in the chorus strengthen the song's overall power. The background vocals are also a great asset (as with all Lim Jeong Hee songs), as they provide the foundation that allows J-Lim to launch her adlibs.

Like her previous albums, Before I Go J-Lim shows off beautiful ballads. Pum is especially great, as the ballad allows J-Lim to give one of her best performances. The sad, but mid-tempo melody also mixes nicely with the rather slow-paced music, which gives the song a somewhat, urgent feel that only heightens J-Lim's vocals. The album also gives fans more than just depressing ballads, as there are also a few upbeat tracks. LOVE (Feat. PDOGG) is a great example of those, as both artistes' vocals mix nicely together with the flowing R&B melody. Iri Sarang Jeoreon Sarang is also another nice upbeat track, as it is similar to something that an artiste such as Ivy might perform. The song doesn't contain any powerful vocals by J-Lim, but uses the catchy melody and funky rapping by JYP to provide entertainment.

Before I Go J-Lim is an album for many as it is probably her most solid work yet. Much like her last album, this one contains more ballads, but has a lighter quality about it, which allows all the songs to flow nicely with one another. So, if you're looking for a "singer", be sure to look out for Lim Jeong Hee. She might've debuted in 2005, but has definitely shown that she is no rookie in the music industry.

5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Tim – Vol. 4 Love Is…


01 Explanation for Using My Heart
02 Thankful Miracle
03 Soliloquy
04 The War Inside Me
05 As Much As I Love
06 Serendipity
07 Wish List
08 Affection
09 I Don’t Regret It
10 You Are to Me
11 Wonderful Life
12 Walk on Water

Tim has finally released his highly anticipated fourth album six months after a digital single and a little over a year since his last studio album. Consisting of twelve tracks, Tim’s album is filled with songs of new color and more pop-ish melodies compared to those in his previous albums. Many famous composers such as Kim Young Hoo and Kim Tae Sung who were responsible for producing songs for BoA, DBSG, and Big Bang have created songs for Tim as well.

Tim’s fourth album starts off with 'Explanation for Using My Heart' (Track 1) - a medium tempo track which he successfully masters with his soothing voice. This song helps in the smooth transition to Soliloquy (Track 3), one of the songs I recommend from this album. Also medium tempo track, 'Soliloquy' starts off with calming instrumentals, leading to Tim’s melodic voice. 'The War Inside Me' (Track 4) is a upbeat song something different from Tim’s normal works. The synthesizer sounds listeners hear throughout the song captures their attentions and Tim’s dramatic voices only further captivates them to finish through the song, hungry for more. This upbeat song is a must listen. The title track, 'As Much As I Love' (Track 5) is a ballad, which is what Tim has always been known for. As usual, this song does not let any expectations down. He successfully masters this song about being hurt from love and not being able to forget it. Another mentionable track would be 'Walk on Water' (Track 12) which is a Christian ballad sung in English. Tim is able to bring out his religious beliefs as well as his American roots through this song. Christian listeners as well as native English speakers may especially enjoy this track.

Recommended Tracks: 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12

I felt that Tim’s fourth album was more enjoyable as he sang different genres other than ballads which were prominent especially in his second album. There are a handful of tracks that are addicting on first listen which is a plus. I recommend everyone to try out this album!

Rating: 5/5 (Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.)

Lee Seung Chul (이승철) - Vol. 9 The Secret Of Color 2

01 . Part Time Lover
02 . 아무 말도
03 . 사랑한다
04 . Propose
05 . 눈물자욱
06 . 그날... 그 기억
07 . 더 사랑하니까
08 . 하고 싶은 말
09 . 너의 하늘

Over 20 years after his debut in the music industry, Lee Seung Chul is still going strong. The Secret Of Color 2 is his 9th album and was released a year after his 8th hit, Reflection of Sound. For those who don't know why there is a '2' after the title, it is because this is his second release of his The Secret Of Color series. Instead of trying out New York sounds like the first release, The Secret Of Color 2 uses more LA sounds and allows the artiste to spread his creativity in other genres. So what does the Emperor of Live Music have for us this time?

The title track, Saranghanda, is a charming rock ballad that would be similar to those by the group Buzz (now disbanded). The use of the acoustic and electric guitars, piano and drums definitely give it a rather natural feel and also a small Country sound to it. However, with this said, the music isn't the best part of the song. Though the song has a great melody and a great arrangement, if anything, the highlight of it is Lee Seung Chul's vocals. They are sweet, yet powerful at the same time. This is most visible by the bridge where the song seems to take a big step up, providing us with stronger vocals and also a stronger arrangement. Overall, a pretty solid title track.

The majority of the album is full of different and interesting genres. Part Time Lover is a great disco track that one wouldn't normally hear from most mainstream Kpop artistes these days. Lee Seung Chul provides a good vocal performance, though at times he does seem rather overshadowed by the female accompaniment. Nevertheless, it is a great switch and is surprisingly catchy. Propose is also a standout track as it is a bit more upbeat than Saranghanda, but still uses much of the same instruments. The song is also catchy and the use of background vocals is a great asset to the song. Not only are they placed in the perfect spots, but they also give LSC a vocal boost.

The mix of genres is great and the artiste himself did quite an amazing job at each track. At first, the tracklist might seem quite small, but fans shouldn't be discouraged because unlike most albums that have several extra filler tracks, it seems as though this one just goes straight to the point. Even if you've never heard of Lee Seung Chul before, don't be afraid to try him out. Music-wise, this is a great album that shows off the singer's versatility.

5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Tae Hwang Sa Shin Gi OST (Legend)

01. Opening
02. 성전 (Seongjeon)
03. 담덕의 테마 (메인테마) (Damdeokui)
04. 수지니의 테마 (외로움) (Sujiniui)
05. 기하의 테마 (운명적인 만남) (Gihaui)
06. 운명 (Unmyeong)
07. 화천회 (Hwacheonhwi)
08. 신들의 전쟁 (Sideureui Jeonjaeng)
09. 담덕의 테마 (용맹) (Damdeokeui)
10. 거믈촌 (Geomeurchon)
11. 적군의 공격 (Jeokkuneui Gonggyeok)
12. 단결 (Dangyeor)
13. 승리 (Seungri)
14. 허락 (Heorak)
15. 세월은 흐르고 (Seworeun Heureugo)
16. 이루어지지 않는 사랑 (Irueojiji Anneun)
17. 첫사랑 (Cheotsarang)
18. 수지니의 테마 (피아노 솔로) (Sujiniui)
19. 천년연가 / 동방신기 (Cheonnyeonyeonga)

One of the most popular dramas as of recently is Legend (is also known as Four Gods), the story of the 19th king of the Goguryeo Dynasty who was known to have extended his territory beyond Manchuria. This OST is from that drama, and is made up of mainly instrumental pieces. However, fans of DBSK might enjoy their new song also featured on the OST, which was made by the amazing Hisaishi Joe (who worked on movies such as Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle). The OST also includes a DVD and two music videos.

Cheonnyeonyeonga starts off as just another pretty ballad, but soon develops into a piece of art, as it reflects the emotions and the feel of the drama. The music goes beautifully with the other tracks found in the album, which allows it to flow smoothly. The use of the synths is also great as it allows the song to emphasize on a more traditional sound, though still containing a more modern feel. The guys from Dong Bang Shin Ki also do a great job with vocals. Each of their voices matches nicely with the music and they also provide the power needed to for the song's emotional quotient.

Heorak is also a great track and is performed by Junseo. Much like the other song with vocals on it, this one also contains much of the same qualities, though it moves more to the ballad area and something similar to what Lee Soo Young might do. The verses are haunting, while the chorus is strong and emotional, allowing the artiste to sing to the fullest. This is especially heard at the end, where the song builds to its strongest point. If you aren't into the vocal tracks, you can still have fun with the rest on the album. The main theme, Damdeokui Theme, is a beautiful work that sums up a lot about the drama. The use of more traditional instruments at the beginning definitely makes it a standout feature. However, as the song continues, it is evident that it is very powerful with the use of drums, bass instruments as well as some added synths.

Overall, the album is a work of art. I'm not one to enjoy instrumental pieces, but this is definitely one of the best out there. Whether it is the use of the traditional instruments or sounds, it definitely sums up what the drama is about. It's as if it can tell you the story even without the visual aid. This is definitely for those who enjoyed the drama or those who just need something other than love songs to listen to.

4/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Eun Ji Won - 사랑 死랑 思랑 Single



01 Deep Blue (Feat. Set Byul)
02 Adios (Feat. Mr. Tyfoon)
03 Pinocchio
04 It’s True (Feat. Baek Ji Young)
05 Adios (Instrumental)

Hip-hop artiste Eun Ji Won has finally returned from his 2.5-year hiatus from the music business with a single titled 사랑 死랑 思랑. Consisting of five tracks (4 singles and 1 instrumental), this single received much help in production and collaboration from famous artistes such as Mr. Tyfoon, Tiger JK of Drunken Tiger, and Baek Ji Young. These four songs will be included in his upcoming studio album.

The title track of this single album, Adios is a Latin and hip-hop fused track featuring Mr. Tyfoon. Originally sung by artiste Keeproots, this song is about leaving a loved one due to an unfaithful relationship, yet feeling somber about it. The mellow trumpet sounds and Eun Ji Won and Mr. Tyfoon’s Spanish introduction both help in bringing out the Latin feel. The rapping of the two artistes, as well as the Spanish phrases included throughout the song, further emphasize the mood. Mr. Tyfoon enhances this song with his articulate rapping skills. Personally, this song was not a favorite at first listen, but it quickly grew on me. I feel that those who enjoyed his previous song, Mi Casa-Ro (another Latin-based track) from his third album will appreciate Adios.

Other tracks I recommend are 01 Deep Blue featuring Set Byul and 04 It’s True featuring Baek Ji Young. It could just be the fact that I love collaborations, but these two songs were catchy at first listen. Set Byul did an excellent job harmonizing with Eun Ji Won’s rapping in Deep Blue. As for It’s True, the beats were very catchy but it had such close resemblance to something Timbaland or Justin Timberlake would release. Besides this fact, this track is addictive and Baek Ji Young does a wonderful job on her part. I must say that 03 Pinocchio is also a must-listen track. This song also seems to bring in some Latin beats as it is very reminiscent of the title track, 02 Adios. Eun Ji Won’s fluent rap in Pinocchio fuses well with the once again mellow melody of the song.

Overall, I felt that Eun Ji Won did a good job with his new single. I haven’t heard too many of Eun Ji Won’s songs but by listening to this single, I was quite impressed by him. With his great rapping skills, random Spanish phrases, and collaborations, he was able to make all his songs enjoyable to listen and even have listeners sing along.

Rating: 4.5/5
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.

JYP – Vol. 7 Back to Stage



01 Kiss
02 The House You Live In
03 Your Girl
04 Delicious (Your Lips)
05 Single feat. Bobby Kim
06 Ddan-Dda-Ra Blues
07 Actually
08 Going Back
09 I Like This Kind of Woman feat. Dynamic Duo & Jun Jae Duk
10 Dangerous Play
11 Cross Each Other feat. Yoon Mi Rae
12 Farewell on Broad Daylight Feat. Sun Yeh of Wonder Girls

JYP, one of Korea’s most renowned producers, CEO, and entertainer has finally come back after six-and-a-half years to please his fans with his seventh studio album. Like how his album title, Back to Stage, states, JYP has returned with his own music after spending the past years producing other artistes such as Bi (Rain), Lim Jeong Hee, and Wonder Girls, as well as collaborating with many others, whether in Korea or overseas. This album is a must-listen as JYP has songs of various styles and rhythm in store for listeners.

JYP has already promoted three singles from his album simultaneously, two of which already have music videos. The first single is track 1 of the album, titled Kiss. The song is perfect for starting off the album with its upbeat tempo and sing-along lyrics of being entranced by a girl’s kiss. The kissing sounds throughout the song definitely bring out the title and the catchy beats only entice listeners to continue with the album. The song Kiss leads to JYP’s main single, The House You Live In. The R&B track is catchy at first listen as it starts off with smooth instrumentals and vocals. The lyrics are quite sad, as it is about a man watching from a distance in anguish his former love, who is now settled with a family. The third single is the last track of the album titled Farewell on Broad Daylight, featuring Sun Yeh of Wonder Girls. Unlike the other two title songs, this duet is a ballad. JYP and Sun Yeh successfully harmonize as they sing about the sadness of breakup, yet being able to cope with it through the help of broad daylight. The album nicely finishes off with this duet track that fans of JYP and Wonder Girls would especially enjoy.

The other songs on this album are equally enjoyable. The ones I particularly enjoyed were 03 Your Girl, 06 Ddan-Dda-Ra Blues, 09 I Like This Kind of Woman featuring Dynamic Duo & Jun Jae Duk, 10 Dangerous Play, and 11 Cross Each Other featuring Yoon Mi Rae. Ddan-Dda-Ra Blues is a catchy song reminiscent of JYP’s famous track, Swing Baby. The styles of the two songs are very similar and it would make listeners get up on their feet and dance like the lyrics suggest. The song Dangerous Play is also a very addictive song with its upbeat beats and vocals. Fans of Bi (Rain) would like this song because of the similar styles. Cross Each Other featuring T (Yoon Mi Rae) is the song that got me to listen to this album in the first place. JYP and T’s vocals and fluent rap make this song a must-listen for everyone.

Overall, this album was great. All the songs were enjoyable and many were catchy at first listen. Many famous singers such as Dynamic Duo, T (Yoon Mi Rae), Bobby Kim, and Sun Ye of Wonder Girls were featured in this album, making it much more memorable. To top it all, JYP wrote all the lyrics and took part in composing all his songs. JYP truly was able to come “back to stage” with a bang.

Rating: 5/5 (Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.)

Kim Mi Ryo (김미려) - Meet Myself


Purchase this album

01 . 가시 (Gasi)
02 . 나를 만나다 (Nareur Mannada / Meet Myself)
03 . 달콤한 인생 (Darkomhan Imsaeng)
04 . 가시 (Instrumental)
05 . 나를 만나다 (Instrumental)
06 . 달콤한 인생 (Instrumental)

Many might not know Kim Mi Ryo as a singer, but it's no doubt that many will know her for being a comedian. Meet Myself is her first step into the music industry, which could either fail or strengthen her popularity. Kim Mi Ryo has currently been on several tv shows to promote this single. Whether it will pay off, we don't know for now.

The title track, Nareur Mannada (Meet Myself), is a fun-loving pop track that would fit nicely with any season. The striking guitars, pounding drums and odd background vocals help the song explode with excitement. However, the most surprising thing about the track is how strong Kim Mi Ryo's vocals are throughout. Though she isn't particularly strong through the verses, she definitely provides a powerful setting during the chorus, where she hits every note right on.

The other 2 tracks on the album provide nice changes from the happy title track. Gasi is a much more laidback ballad that is similar to popular Korean ballads out in the market these days. Kim Mi Ryo gives a strong performance, though her voice does feel too overpowering at times for the song. The real magic in the single is Darkomhan Insaeng, a darker ballad that strengthens Mi Ryo's vocal capabilities. Starting with a calm piano, the song erupts into a sea of sadness, with Mi Ryo striking each note with all the emotion she has in her voice. A very unexpected genre that is very nicely pulled off.

At first, this single might not stand out to you, but it's definitely worth a try. The mix of fun pop songs and heartbreaking ballads definitely strengthens Kim Mi Ryo's chances of hitting it big within the industry. You might be surprised at what this "comedian" can actually pull off.

4/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Dear Cloud Vol. 1 - Dear Cloud

Purchase this album

1. Not For Your Comfort
2. Ice Fortress
3. If I Could
4. With The Memories Of You Being Beautiful
5. Goodbye, My Treasures
6. Dream
7. Same Person
8. I Miss That Attic
9. Cloud Avenue
10. Words
11. Thorn
12. Fly Fly Fly

Dear Cloud is a new modern rock group. Like many modern rock groups in Korea, Dear Cloud is a co-ed group with a female lead singer. But they started off with only a guitarist (Yong-Rin) and a vocalist (Nine) back in 2005 before three other members joined the band: Elang (Bassist), Jung-A (Keyboardist) and Dong Hoon (Drummer). Later on, Dong Hoon was replaced by a new drummer, Kwang-Suk. They kicked off their music career by performing in various clubs and concerts. Unlike most new band groups, Dear Cloud showed great charisma and passion on stage and they were very popular in club scenes in 2006. They've even earned support and recognition for their music from other musicians and bands, notably from Toy (Yoo Hee Yeol), Lucid Fall and Lee Juck.

Fundamentally, their music consists of new century England music. Although Dear Cloud are not up to par with well-known bands like Placebo, Snow Petrol and Cold Play in England, they'll try to win the hearts of the people by being the best Korean modern rock band.

All the songs from this album are written by the members themselves. The title song "Ice Fortress" has a sad melodic line and sentimental lyrics. It has an attractive and addictive melody that should please all fans. "If I Could" is another mid-tempo song that has the potential to be the 2nd single. Basically the first half of the album is targeted towards mainstream listeners. If you are looking for more hardcore rock stuff, the second half of the album offers you just that with more up-tempo tunes. My recommendations are "Same Person", "Cloud Avenue" and "Words".

Most rock groups use guitar as background arrangement, but Dear Cloud also use piano on some of the songs. "With The Memories Of You Being Beautiful" is a slow tempo song that perhaps best showcases the lead singer's vocal. "Same Person" is a song that starts off slow but the tempo picks up quickly later on.

Overall, I think this is one of the better modern rock albums I've heard recently. All the songs are very good and you won't feel bored listening to the album over and over again.

5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.


- credits to purpletiger86 for translations

Slow Jam – Crazy Night Single


Purchase this album
01 Listen (feat. Smokey)
02 Crazy Night (feat. Horan)
03 Baby Come On (feat. Smokey)
04 Crazy Night (feat. Horan) (Lounge Ver.)
05 Crazy Night (feat. Horan) (Radio Edit)
06 Crazy Night (feat. Horan) (Inst.)

Slow Jam have finally come back with a new single titled Crazy Night after two years. Most people may not be familiar with the artistes but it is Uptown leader Jung Yun Joon who is the singer, composer, and producer for the group. R&B artiste Ann was featured as the female vocal in the previous album, but Horan of Clazziquai and Smokey take her place for this single. The type of music that is produced is as the name suggests, Slow Jam: R&B music with lyrics about romance and intimacy.

This single consists of three singles and three additional versions of the title track Crazy Night. This intimate song starts off with Horan’s alluring voice mixed with the soothing saxophone instrumentals which bring out the R&B atmosphere. The chorus is also dramatic and addictive. I personally prefer the Lounge version of this track as the instrumentals are a bit more appealing.

The other two tracks, Listen and Baby Come On, featuring Smokey, are songs worth recommending. Smokey seems to have a very soulful voice which blends nicely with Jung’s vocals. Her parts in Baby Come On are especially addictive. The songs are very soothing, perfect for listening during the night. Both have great melodies and in my opinion are better than the title track.

Overall, I found this album satisfying. The songs were different from mainstream Korean music and the two featured singers have a great impact in perfecting the songs in the single. The only nitpick I have about the single is the amount of songs in there. With only three songs, it leaves listeners hungry for more.

5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

i read all of these reviews. and they were so helpful in picking new songs to listen to. thank you to all who wrote reviews. : ) amber

Well these are good albums [font="Arial Black"][/font][size="3"][/size]

Thank you for all the reviews i hope to contribute soon!

Are we aloud to request reviews if yes, Then could someone write a review for Kara's debut album The First blooming? It's for a project

BoA ★ THE FACE


Purchase this album

01 AGGRESSIVE
02 Sweet Impact
03 My Way, Your Way (feat. WISE)
04 be with you.
05 LOSE YOUR MIND (feat. Yutaka Furukawa from DOPING PANDA)
06 Girl In The Mirror
07 Happy Birthday
08 Diamond Heart
09 LOVE LETTER
10 BRAVE
11 ギャップにやられた! / Gyappu ni Yarareta!
12 Style
13 Smile again
14 Beautiful Flowers
15 Best Friend
16 Hey Boy, Hey Girl (feat. BoA) / SEAMO (CD+2DVD Limited Edition Bonus Track)

Released on the 27th of February of this year, BoA's 6th Japanese original album THE FACE has already made history as BoA's 6th consecutive (7th overall, including her BEST OF SOUL album) number-one ranking album in Japan, only behind Ayumi Hamasaki with eight. BoA's immense popularity can be attributed to her multilingual abilities, as she is fluent in both Japanese and her native Korean, and her ability to appeal to fans of all ages, male and female, Korean and Japanese.

So what does BoA have up her sleeve this album around? Her singles prior to the release of THE FACE include the mid-tempo electronica-influenced "Sweet Impact," the not-quite-ballad but not-exactly-fast-paced "LOVE LETTER," the sexy and funky "LOSE YOUR MIND," and the heartfelt "be with you." Though these songs present BoA's capabilities of being the flexible and versatile artist that she is, fans and non-fans alike have not been as impressed as they have been with BoA's previous offerings (circa her peak with VALENTI). Her first post-MIT(20) single, "Sweet Impact," sometimes drags along with seemingly overproduced beats and mundane verses. What saves this song is its climactic chorus and, as seen in its respective promotional video, the Michael Jackson-esque (circa "Smooth Criminal") choreography. "LOVE LETTER" is a BoA ballad, straight and simple. Vocally, this song fits BoA's range perfectly and her voice effortlessly moves the song along. "LOSE YOUR MIND" features guitarist Yutaka Furukawa from the J-Rock band DOPING PANDA and is BoA's first single featuring another artist. Yutaka Furukawa's influence, along with the American production of this song, has permeated the overall atmosphere of "LOSE YOUR MIND" as a funky dance song backed with brass and subtle electronic/synth-ish instrumentals. Released only a week before THE FACE, "be with you." was used as a promotional track for the album, alongside a tie-up with the movie Inu to Watashi no 10 no Yakusoku. While heartfelt and gentle, "be with you." falters in that BoA's vocals are exceedingly nasally due to the again dragging nature of the song's verses. The chorus almost climaxes out of nowhere and takes on a different feel from the song's initial gentle, serene state.

As for the non-single tracks on this album, "AGGRESSIVE" has received the most hype as its electronic-dance feel instantly grabs your attention. BoA's vocals are, just as the title states, powerful and aggressive, matching alongside the production of the track. A great way to open up to an album with the greatest involvement from BoA herself. Of course, what's a BoA album without a staple cutesy song? "Happy Birthday" is just the sweet treat to satisfy. Much like "七色の明日～brand new beat～" was to MADE IN TWENTY(20), this song operates to offer a slight alteration to the album's concept, though it is a well-presented and safe addition. On to another dance-oriented track! Simply put, "Style" exudes just that: style. With its Justin Timberlake-like beats and production and BoA's vocals to offer a strong point of view, we are sure to be able to also "believe [BoA's] style." One of my favorite tracks on this album is "Best Friend," which just happens to remind me of Wonder Girls' "Friend" from their respective first album. BoA's affections to her best friend are clearly heard, as her voice almost speaks to the listener. The simple arrangement, the memorable melody and harmonies, and the modern instrumentals all add up to a great final track for this album.

Overall, THE FACE offers a glimpse of BoA's many sides (or faces, if you will). There is the strong, powerful individual, the love-struck, cute girl, the sexy, refined supermodel, the girl moving on with herself, and the always-there best friend. To combine all of these facets of one singer is remarkable and the connection sometimes works out and sometimes it doesn't, but holistically, THE FACE is cohesive, full of scope, and represents BoA well. Here's to another great year!

RATING: 4/5

-----

was this too long? o___o
oh, and i guess i don't mind if this ends up on the main site.

^No, that was quite good.

JOO (주) - Young Girl

Purchase this album
1. Because Of A Man
2. Like Yesterday
3. Face
4. The Premiere
5. Because Of A Man (Instrumental)
6. Like Yesterday (Instrumental)

It's no doubt JOO got a lot of spotlight in her first month of her debut mostly due to her sudden change in appearance. Sadly, this has caused her music to be pushed aside. With this said, it's no surprise that this young girl definitely has some talent in her and this single shows how much potential she holds. Young Girl is JOO's first release and contains mostly ballads, which are all top-notch in quality.

At first, Because Of A Man provides little that we haven't already heard from the Korean music industry. However, it's not time to pack up your things and move to another debuting singer in the industry. This song has its rewards and they're mainly found in JOO's vocals. That is where the song comes alive. JOO tends to have a much sweeter tone than most female artistes in kpop, but it doesn't mean she lacks the power. Every note in the song is hit nicely and her voice gives off a lot of emotion. This goes well with the beautiful melody and the use of strings throughout further pushes her voice. Overall, a very strong debut track.

Besides the beautiful title track, the single also contains 3 others. Like Yesterday uses a jazzy and smoother sound than the title track. It's not stellar, but it's quite enjoyable once it's given the chance. The melody is delightful and the use of string instruments is once again evident. Face returns to the standard pop ballad and showcases JOO's vocal abilities, while remaining quite calm composition-wise. Lastly, The Premiere is a phenomenal track and probably the best in the album. At first, the song doesn't really do much, but as it progresses, more power and emotion are added. By the end, the song turns into an emotional piece of work that, at times, sounds quite similar to songs by Lee Soo Young.

Overall, this is a very strong debut by this young artiste. She has great potential to become a top ballad singer (if that's her goal). For those who have listened to her title track and thought her voice was only okay, I would recommend the other songs on this single because she has a few surprises in store. Each track is nicely done and the compositions are beautiful. The use of strings in every track is done exceptionally well as it gives off different feelings in each song. If you haven't listened, you're missing out.

5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

WONDER GIRLS ( 원더걸스 )- THE WONDER YEARS


Purchase This Album!

01 I Wanna
02 이 바보
03 Tell Me (Sampling of “Two Of Hearts”)
04 Friend
05 Headache
06 뭐 어때 (Feat. David Kim)
07 Wishing on a star
08 Move (Feat. Lee Min Woo)
09 가져가
10 Good Bye
11 Bad Boy
12 미안한 마음
13 Irony

Wonder Girls is a girl group by 5 young girls. They were carefully hand picked by renowned producer JYP. Brefore debuting, they even have their own documentary- MTV WG and currently airing MTV WG Season 3.

I always love the girls when their 'Irony' single came out with the title song, fast/catchy song,a ballad and an 'Irony' remix.
The total 5 tracks were awesome.The girls debuted in February 2007 with the ability to perform live with much-hyped
dancing showing of their 'uniform' concept.The whole single was produced by JYP himself making sure that the girls have
enough to proof their abilities and skills to the k-pop industry.

At first i thought 'Tell Me' was a typical poppish song but it added some 80's beat and feel to it. The song is so catchy plus easy to learn 'Tell Me' dance, i was caught in the craze myself. With all 5 members dressed like those in the 80's, it even caught attention to those 'ahjumma' and 'ahjusshi' from the 80's.

I am satisfied with their album.Their album wasn't too poppish as i was expected. It's more to electronic and dance genre.

I didn't really like 'I Wanna' at first cause it's so electronic-ish but i found myself humming and liking the song when they performed at the SBS Daejun last year.It was a cool performance.It has the similar flava to 'Tell Me'.

They promoted 'This Fool' as their 2nd song. Though it is catchy, i didn't like the song.Until now,i will still give it a 'must listen' in my itunes but i always skip the song.

Track 3: 'Tell Me'. This title song deserved to be the title song..lol. It is catchy and has 80's disco flava to it.I wasn't caught in the 'Tell Me' craze but this song really boost their popularity. They even won numerous awards for this.Many people believe that WG's vocal skills isn't up to the par but when the 5 of them perform on stage,charisma oozing away.

Track 4: 'Friend'. This is one of my fav. ballads from the girls.It has similar mid-tempo like their other ballads but it totally pulled off well with such melodic background. It did justified their vocal capabilities especially Sun Ye, Sun Mi and Ye Eun.So Hee even sounded good here though i didn't hear yoo bin's voice.

Track 5: 'Headache'. I have to admit that this is my least my song in the album. Though many liked it, i didn't feel the song.
It is just merely screaming for me.It's another 80's disco song. Yoo Bin's rapping is a plus.Others, didn't do much justified to the song cause i tend to skip it though the song arrangement is okay.

Track 6 : 'So What'. The song is nice.It is a very relaxing song. You can hear sun mi, so hee and sun ye rapping in this song which you don't get to hear that often.Ye Eun's powerful voice blew me away. David Kim is good as well.

Track 7: 'Wishing on a Star'. At first, i didn't really like the song and now it has been growing onto me after i saw their newly released M/V that was shot in New York. The lyrics and M/V were touching.This made the song more meaningful. Def. one of my fav ballads.

Track 8: 'Move'.Produced and composed by M.I felt the whole song was at slow and lazy pace.It sounded like 'lazy song'.They could have done better or the song doesn't do much justification.

Track 9: 'Take It All'. I'm glad they performed the song and it's one of my personal fav. I just love how sun mi sang the first part with such low voice with yoo bin's super fast rapping. Ye Eun and Sun Ye once again proofed people wrong about their singing skills.

Track 10: 'Goodbye'. At first i thought it's a slow song but it's not. It's my fav. song in the album after 'Take It All'. I love the
beat to the song.It's very catchy and it's purely recommended by me.

Track 11: 'Bad Boy'. I thought the song is cool.Girl Power Rulez! The drum beating of this song was cool.It has sort of 'red indian' feel to the song.And things got different, Hyuna sang and sun ye did the rap.The song was at fast pace as if everybody was rapping. I somehow prefer this song to 'Irony'.

Track 12:'Sorry Heart'.Ever since i heard this song, i love it. I can't get enough of this song.It is almost similar to Bi's In My
Bed.Sun Mi,Sun Ye and Ye Eun shine in this song. Mid-tempo ballads are their forte.

Track 13: 'Irony'.How can i not miss their debut song.It is catchy and the M/V is hella cute.This song brought me to Wonder Girls and got to know them even more.Even the dance step is good enough for you to watch their performance.


My recommendations would be 1,3,4,6,7,9,10,11,12,13

I would rate 4/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Davichi (다비치) Vol. 1 - AMARANTH



01 미워도 사랑하니까
02 립스틱 짙게 바르고
03 나쁘고 아픈 나
04 슬픈 다짐
05 외사랑
06 슬픈 사랑의 노래
07 별이 빛나는 밤
08 그런거니
09 겨우겨우
10 이별의 반대말

Purchase this album

Making headlines even before their official debut, Davichi present their first album, "Love You Even Though I Hate You". This R&B female duo of Lee Hae Ri and Kang Min Kyung caused an immediate sensation with the music video of their title song Miwodo Saranghanikka (Track 1). The MV stars A-list actress Lee Mi Yeon and pop queen Lee Hyo Lee, whose provocative image has shocked many K-pop fans. Top-rated MV director Cha Eun Tek took inspiration from the Hollywood movie "Thelma And Louise" to reel out a road movie that complements the ballad written by Vibe's Ryu Jae Hyun.

Highlighting Lee Hae Ri's silvery vocals and the husky voice of Kang Min Kyung, their debut album boasts an elaborate line-up of top composers like Park Geun Tae, Jo Young Soo, Kim Do Hoon, and Park Hae Woon. While demonstrating the duo's immense singing potentials, Davichi's well-crafted album also distinguishes them from the massive pool of K-pop newcomers.

미워도 사랑하니까 is a powerful ballad about a woman unable to leave her lover behind even though he no longer loves her. The lyrics are heart-wrenching, and that is more than enough reason to love this song. With the powerful vocals and emotion in the title track, I don't know how anyone could not like this song. Lee Hae Ri and Kang Min Kyung's strong vocals make such a beautiful and smooth duet and complement each other's voices so well I thought I was going to cry.

Although 립스틱 짙게 바르고 is not really my style, I was still able to appreciate the girls' voices and I'm sure others can do the same. Sometimes it isn't about whether the song is suited for you, it's about appreciating the effort your favourite artiste has put into the song. With that said, I am able to recommend all the songs in Davichi's debut album. If I had to choose my top three, I would have to choose the title track, 미워도 사랑하니까, 나쁘고 아픈 나 and 이별의 반대 말.

It's obvious that I would recommend this album, as my review shows how much I love this album. If you love to listen to powerful ballads as much as I do, I really encourage you to give Davichi a try.

5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Park Hye Kyung Remake Album - When A Woman Is In Love

1. Beautiful Separation
2. To You
3. Between Love and Friendship
4. My Presence That Shine Upon My Heart
5. I Believe
6. That’s Probably…
7. Very Long Lovers
8. The Shadow Of Separation
9. Scented Memories
10. Reality

Purchase this album


Even though remake albums are not as abundant as a few years before, they have proved to be a good way to solidify or to revitalize a singer's career. Singing newly-rearranged hit songs from the past is convenient to get listeners' attentions. Park Hye Kyung already has a unique voice and singing style, and she seems to be a perfect fit to remake songs in her own style.

Having said that, if you are a die-hard fan of the original version, you may have a hard time accepting a drastically different new version. But overall, it seems fans are accepting this album as we can see from its popularity in terms of chart performance and record sales.

Unlike most remake albums, "When A Woman Falls In Love" consists of many great hits previously sung by male artistes. The title song, "Between Love And Friendship", is a wonderful love song about the feelings between friends who turn into lovers. Pinocchio originally sang this song and Lee Soo Young was the first one to remake it in her "Classic" album. Park Hye Kyung's version is very different from the previous two versions. She did a great remake by giving a different style and emotion to the song.

The first and the last track of the album are also worth mentioning. "Wonderful Separation" (track 1) was a hit song previously sung by Kim Gun Mo, and Park Hye Kyung voice fits this ballad very well. It is a great choice to be the first song of the album. "Reality" is the only English song on the album. This Richard Sanderson song was very popular among Asian fans in the early 80s. It is nice to see a new version today.

One disappointment is the cover of Shin Seung Hoon's big hit, "I Believe". Like other songs from this album, it was completely rearranged. As it is the most recent hit song on this album (the original version was a hit just 6 years ago), most listeners would probably find it hard to accept this version.

Overall, this is an okay album. I've listened to most of Park Hye Kyung's albums and she has had better albums than this one. But to give her credit, she did a good job in remaking these songs. It does have a refreshing feeling listening to a new version of these oldies again.

3/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Fly To The Sky - Recollection



Track list:

01 . 행복을 주는 사람
02 . 취중진담 (Feat. AND)
03 . 마지막 사랑
04 . 회상
05 . 이밤의 끝을 잡고
06 . 달팽이
07 . 세상끝에서의 시작 (Brian Solo)
08 . 소원 (Hwany Solo)
09 . 내 눈물 모아
10 . 한장의 추억

Purchase this album

I have always enjoyed Korean remake albums, they bring back to life older songs and singers that I would not have normally come across as well as demonstrating the personal likes of singers I admire. Fly to the Sky's remake album, released on the 23rd of April, is no exception.

This is a very enjoyable album even if, like me, you didn’t know any of the original versions of the songs to start with. It will appeal to FTTS fans who enjoy their style of music and voices, and maybe will draw in newer fans who are keen to hear some of the songs they grew up with again in a modern and stylish arrangement.

For the purpose of this review I have added links where possible to the original versions so that the new arrangements can be appreciated and compared.

Track 1 – BMW’s 행복을 주는 사람 (Person who gives happiness) started to grow on me after a few listens, but I wasn’t too keen on the opening of the song which made me think my CD player was skipping or the disc was damaged. (Though perhaps that was the point, considering the LP textured CD). Fly to the sky’s arrangement picks up the beat more than the original and gives the song a touch more polish.

Fan-made video (I think): http://youtube.com/watch?v=2LXcmuLzPKg

취중진담 Feat AND (Drunken Truth) (track 2) was the main one to catch my attention. Originally sung by Kim Dong Ryul the new arrangement focuses more on harmonising the vocals, something that has been done to fit FTTS voices very well indeed. The lack of instrumentation at the start emphasises this harmony they have created and its truly a wonderfully arranged version, and one I would say is the best by far of the whole album. The division of parts between Brian and Hwanhee suits their vocals perfectly, and is fast becoming my favourite track.

Kim Dong Ryul Live version: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dTCrsDm2b4U

Track 3 - Park Ki Young's 마지막 사랑 (Last Love) is more of a traditional ballad style and something you wouldn’t be out of place on a regular FTTS album. It is beautifully sung and as can be seen from original performances by Park Ki Young, why this song appealed to the duo to remake and bring back into the public ear.

Park Ki Young Live version: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PxLq4OXflNI

회상 (December) was the second hit off Turbo’s third album – I really like the melody on this and the instrumentation keeps it as light and cheerful as the original arrangement but loses the bubble-gum pop sound, turning into something more modern and palatable. With a nice rhythm and beat it’s one I’d love to see performed live. I wasn’t too keen on the small section of rap at first, but on second and third listen it does help break up the repetition of the song nicely.

Turbo December MV: http://youtube.com/watch?v=00GZi5Ri9Z8

Track 5 - 이밤의 끝을 잡고 (Hold On to End of this Night) taken from Solid’s second Album in 1995 is nicely done but doesn’t really stand out for me. It is one I think was chosen by Hwanhee as he has sung it before on x-man a year ago and its easy to see how this melody can catch attention.

Hwanhee’s version on x-man: http://youtube.com/watch?v=0r_C5yGff2s
Solid’s MV: http://youtube.com/watch?v=MTty_2vJcS4


Track 6 – Panic's 달팽이 (Snail) yet another from 1995 is one of the few on the album that I prefer the original version of. . It’s not a bad arrangement, but my personal feeling is that the lyrics and meaning are better expressed with simple piano as Panic did in 1995. It is worth watching the original MV – its inspirational lyrics are reason enough to like this song.

MV with English subs: http://youtube.com/watch?v=8vYQD5Z4AlI


Kim Min Jong – 세상끝에서의 시작 (Start from world’s end) from the 1998 Drama "Mister Q" was the choice for Brian’s solo. Rearranging the intro and main tune as well as the addition of a rap, takes away drama feel of the original and it works well for Brian’s vocals.

Original MV: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PArycZIUA_4

Hwanhee’s solo - Kim Hyun Sung’s 소원 (Wish)– is more of a homage than a remake as it doesn’t tamper too much with the original arrangement just adds a touch of R&B flavour to suit the lower range of Hwanhee’s vocals.

Kim Hyun Sung - So Won MV - http://youtube.com/watch?v=bl-WYhsxCJ4

Track 9 – sounds like an FTTS song simply by the intro alone but is a very nicely produced version of Seo Ji Won 내 눈물 모아 (Gathering My Tears).

Seo Ji Won ‘Gathering My Tears’ MV - http://youtube.com/watch?v=aSME2Zr707Y

Track 10 - Cool's 한장의 추억 (Memory of a Funeral) doesn’t try to over complicate the arrangement or smother the already beautiful melody.

Streaming link to Original version: http://www.esnips.com/doc/77662824-57e8-4f...%B6%94%EC%96%B5

Tracks 2, 3 and 4 are ones I highly recommend, though the others, especially the solo songs are growing on me with every listen. Definitely add this to your collection.

Gummy – Vol. 4 - Comfort



01 Intro (Work It Now) (Feat. G-Dragon)
02 Clap Your Hands (Feat. T.O.P)
03 I’m Sorry (Feat. T.O.P)
04 Don’t Love
05 After Looking Into the Mirror (Feat. Red Roc)
06 Let’s Get It Party (Feat. 45rpm)
07 Last Party
08 Sting
09 Hoping It’s Not a Breakup
10 I’m Gonna Miss U (W.Ji Eun)
11 Up to Here (Feat. Skull)
12 Hallucination
13 Before the Music Ends
14 I’m Sorry (Hare Trance Remix)

Gummy, one of Korea’s renowned divas, has finally returned to the music scene three years later with her fourth studio album, Comfort. She has gained much popularity and success since her debut and this time it is no different. In this album, Gummy took the challenge of experimenting with various genres such as electronica, dance, and reggae, while continuing to show off her R&B and ballad skills.

The title track of this album is an electronica dance number, “I’m Sorry”, which features Big Bang member TOP. This song is very different from Gummy's usual R&B title tracks such as the now famous “Amnesia”. However this is a good change as it still showcases Gummy’s vocals, which continuously haunt listeners as she repeats the phrase “I’m sorry” throughout the song. The mellow melody definitely grows on you and TOP’s rap only spices up the track. There is also a remix version of this song for those who enjoy trance.

I could easily recommend every track in the album (as all the songs are rated between 3-5 stars on my itunes), but there are a couple that definitely stand out from the rest. Fans of upbeat songs that showcase Gummy's vocals would enjoy “Last Party”. Right from the start, Gummy’s strong vocals can be heard and to make things even better, in the middle of the song, fans can hear her rap. Those who listen to Masta Wu would notice right away that the rap lyrics are the same from his own song, “Cry”. Another track I would recommend would be track 9, “Hoping It’s Not a Breakup”, which is very reminiscent of Gummy’s other ballads. The song is very touching especially during the chorus parts. Two other tracks I would recommend are “I’m Gonna Miss U”, which is a duet track with Ji Eun, and “Hallucination” which sampled parts of Leon Ware’s song, “Where Are They Now”. Both are tracks of a slower tempo and are very soothing to the ears, especially the later track.

To wrap things up, I would like to conclude by saying that Gummy’s album was definitely up to my expectations. With songs of various genres, I’m sure there’s a song for everyone’s tastes. In addition, Gummy partook in composing two songs (After Looking Into the Mirror (Feat. Red Roc) and Hallucination), which is a definite plus. I recommend everyone who isn't yet a fan of Gummy to give her songs a chance; you won’t regret it!

5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

CSJH the Grace - One More Time, Ok?

Purcase this album here.

Tracklist
01. 한번 더, OK?
One More Time, Ok?
02. 女友 (그녀들의 수다)
Girlfriends. (Promoted as Their Talks)
03. 女友 Interlude
04. Sweet Emotion
05. 그 사람... 욕하지 마요
That person ... Don't curse him (Promoted as Heartbreak)
06. RENEW
07. 4월의 첫 날 (April Fools' Day)
08. Dancer In The Rain
09. 아니기를 (Not To Be)
10. 하루만 (Just For One Day) Feat. Super Junior's Kyuhyun
11. Tonight Is On Me
12. Dancing Queen
13. 열정 (My Everything)
14. Boomerang
15. The Club Feat. RAIN 비




After a long day, trying to study, I stumbled into this thread and thought why not pen down something?

Hence, I am here now, penning down an album review, trying to stay away from all biasness as I could, trying to be as fair as I can while doing this.

The album started of with their title track, One More Time, Ok? What is it that I can say about this track? It is a pretty catch song with strong vocals and well, a good song to be placed as the beginning of a journey of listening to their album. Despite that it had been a good dance track, or more professionally labeled as SMP, a genre of song that well produced by SM company under the heavy influence of dancing and strong vocals, I found it typically RisingSun-ish, and GirlOnTop-ish. So, I wasn't surprised when I found out that the composer of these three songs is the same. (There might be a bit inaccuracy here. The writer sincerely wants to apologise for the small defect.) Well, this is a good song nevertheless.

As the first few minutes finished as I was listening to the album, I was pleasantly surprised when their second song, Girlfriends started hitting my eardrums. Well, I love the light-heartiness embedded in this song and well, it sounded like a cute song. I was very curious of the lyrics too, and searched for it. I think of all the songs in the album, I found this song one of the best. I can't say much or can't even point out the defect in the vocals in this song. I love the meaning behind it and well, the interlude which followed up, was well enough to leave me awed.


Sweet Emotions, was a break from fast pacing and strong vocals for me. I am glad that they placed it after two strong songs and well, it is soothing to the ear. I could tell that it is a sad ballad but for me, it didn't make as much impact as the upcoming song. Sweet Emotions totally portrayed their individual vocal difference, as in who has the soprano and who had the contralto in the group. Well, a good track but definitely not my favourite.

I love That Person ... Don't Curse Him.
I love the melancholy that hit me once I heard the beginning of the song. It appeared to me as a song that brought forward regret and the emotions that the song had managed to bring forward was strong enough for me to once again launch a search for their lyrics. Do visit this site for the lyrics, (translated one, of course. ^^). I found it one of the best tracks in it.


RENEW, like its title, brought a refreshing feeling after a melanchony song. I like the combination of vocals in it. Once again, a highly impressive song. The feeling of being refreshed by their vocals was there everytime it was played but alas, it seemed to be a song that could be easily found as annoying especially with a dangerous soprano in the chorus. ^^
No offense to the fan.

April's Fool Day, was well, aimed with gentleness calmed down the roaring feeling after RENEW. There is something that I would always credit CSJH the Grace and that would be the harmony when they sing together. All four members sound the best when they are singing together and it could be heard in the chorus. Enough said about this song but I will say it is an expected song from them, a bit redundant on the side but still amazingly strong vocally.

Maybe it is a silly thought of mine but mostly albums nowadays, could be divided into two kinds:
A) Albums with vocally talented singers but the tune of the song was pretty boring. If I were to take the voices out, the tune will be boring.
Albums with less talented singers but with a catchy tune.


I am not sure which one floats to my boat, but I am pretty sure that CSJH the Grace belongs to the former group, and that my dear readers, is a credit.

Dancer in The Rain is one of the songs in this album that I will labeled as catchy and yet, with a good support of vocals. It wasn't surprising to me as they choose this song as the featured song in their second MV of this album. However, as a listener, I am more interested in a non-existent Girlfriend MV.

Not to Be, do refer to what I had stated for April's Fool Day.



Finally, a duet, Just For One Day, feat KyuHyun of Super Junior started with a strong male voice and then, our four girls' voice being slowly drawn onto the picture. Sunday went first and I frankly admit this is the first time, I heard her voice alone. I like it, though I am not sure that it is her full potential. Surprisingly, as the song reached it's climax, I am a bit glad that KyuHyun's voice was there to smoothen the once again high soprano tone there. This song was reused in their japanese album with the feature of Kim Jae Joong of DBSK. No comment on which is a better version but I think it would be a good song that if, well, they have just a simple duet between a CSJH member and KyuHyun. I would pick Lina. ^^

Tonight is On Me is a good song. This time, I love the chorus. I think it is a placed rather well too. Maybe I should have say how the theme of the songs before was almost the same and this song, a bit edgy and a bit more with personality captured my losing attention. I love the high pitching done by Stephanie and Lina.

Dancing Queen, originally sang by the Alba is sung in acapella by the girls. Their harmony was good and their English was fantastic too which is a major brownie points for this song.

My Everything, was and will always be a big NO NO for me. If I were to placed the songs in this album in ranking from the blessed ones to the hated one, this will be the last one on the list. I had absolutely no feeling, not even a slight inclination of loving this song. Yes, it might be a bit odd but, there is something about how the vocals here that was seemed to be suppressed and the bland tune that can't carry the song across. When the song reached the chorus, a powerful soprano voice totally made it a bit rough for me.


Boomerang and The Club are two fantastic SMP songs. Of these two fast pacing songs, I like The Club more as it seemed to be a bit more sophisticated than Boomerang. Vocal wise and the degree of it being catchy, are similar.




Side note : I might had been a bit harsh on reviewing the album, but I definitely would rate it high enough. Overall, I love the arrangement of the tracklist. I love the vocals in the album and it is the songs that I found fault in. The girls as their name are really vocally talented. This is one of the albums which I can certainly said, had a mixture of talents and catchy-ness. An all rounded album.


I highly recommend, their 2nd track, Girlfriends, and the fifth one - That person .. Don't curse him.

I would rate 5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

Shinhwa - Shinhwa 9th



Track list:

01 . Last Train Home
02 . Voyage
03 . 다시 한번만
04 . Free Style #1
05 . Run
06 . 2 Ma Luv...
07 . We Can Get In On
08 . So In Love
09 . 기억나니?
10 . 아직 못 다한 이야기

Purchase this album

Released on April 3 this year, this is the 9th album from Shinhwa in their long history together, and one that fans have been waiting for eagerly. In the last ten years their music and personalities have become more distinct and, in the three albums produced since leaving SM Entertainment, their music has gone through a few changes. In the last few years, Shinhwa have been a group that advocate the ‘together but apart’ scenario, with their individual activities taking precedence over those of Shinhwa as a group. This scenario seems to be reflected in the album which, at first impression, lacked cohesion and didn’t flow easily as from one track to the next.

The intro track 'Last Train Home' leads perfectly into ‘Voyage’ - both were written by VINK, who was responsible for ‘Return’ by MC the Max and who also had a duet in the project album "After...break-up" with Shim Eun Jin of Baby Vox. It is an easy song to listen to and is uplifting in tone, one you feel there is a story behind. Hyesung handles the baritone range far better than in 첫 사람 (First Person) on his second solo.

The third song, 다시 한번만 (Just One More Time), composed by Wanted's Kim Jae Suk, is probably the one most familiar due to its release well before the album. It’s a lovely ballad full of sentiment and well-harmonised vocals, a contrast to the following track, which is Eric’s 'Freestyle Interlude'. The latter jars a little on the ear, but serves the purpose of heralding a change in pace.

'Run', the 5th track of the album and the one used for the MV, is distinctively Minwoo’s composition. It feels more western and introduces a very different sound compared to Shinhwa’s previous albums. Lyrics and arrangement were also by Minwoo, and the track is fast-paced with a heavy base-line. It’s easy to imagine the live dance routine that would accompany it.

Like 'Freestyle', ‘We Can Get It On’ was composed and arranged by Eric, with the lyrics composed by him and David Kim. It’s a very club-like number and my least favourite track in the album, simply because the constant repetition of ‘We can get it on’ is very irritating after a few listens and the choice of words cliché. The song does have some interesting beats, however, and it’s good to hear Hyesung sing something other than a ballad. I am sure, though, that there is a background vocal that is a touch too similar to Salt ‘n Pepa’s track ‘Whatta man’ from the ‘90s.

The last and final track in the album is one of the strongest - 아직 못 다한 이야기 (The Stories We Haven't Told). An acoustic track with a simple guitar arrangement, it is a conversation between the members in melody and rap, a reminiscence of the last ten years as a group and perhaps a promise to continue after their military service is over.

Barely a half-hour long and with three interludes, it feels disappointingly short, but it is an album that is better appreciated after several listens rather than just a cursory play-through. When looking at the translated lyrics though, the album has a deeper meaning, a summation of the last ten years and a way of looking forward to all that will come. It’s an album that was designed more for fans as a gift, especially the talk track, which reminds those who listen the friendship between these six men.

Whilst this might not be an album that helps Shinhwa attract new fans, one thing is for sure – this album throws away any idea that they are still a boy-band and confirms their status now as a six man R&B group. Currently topping the album charts and selling over 100,000 copies with barely any promotion, the statistics testify to the support it and Shinhwa are receiving.


5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

H-Eugene (H-유진) - Vol. 2 "H-Eugene And The Family"

01 Welcome Back
02 He’s a Stranger feat. Shinji of Koyote
03 Kiss Me feat. Bae Seul Gi
04 As Many as There Are Tears feat. Young Ji
05 Shorty feat. Teddy of 1TYM, Master Wu, Park Jang Geun
06 I’m Waiting feat. Oh Jong Hyuk, Hoo Ni Hoon
07 My L.U.V
08 I Don’t Know feat. Miryo of Brown Eyed Girls
09 H-Eugene VS MC Mong feat. MC Mong
10 Maverick Part 2 feat. Yoo Seung Joon, Han Esther
11 Kiss Me (Instrumental)
12 He’s a Stranger (Instrumental)

Purchase this album

H-Eugene has gone through a lot during his time in the music industry. Discovered at the age of 17, he became a rapper/dancer for the popular Yoo Seung Jun until the latter was exiled from Korea. From there, he turned to MC Mong until 2006, when he finally had a chance to release his debut album. Even with all the controversy of having Yoo Seung Jun as a guest artiste, he was able to release his sophomore album, H-Eugene & The Family. H-Eugene & The Family is a light-hearted rap album that offers a variety of styles. The album also includes several well-known artistes such as Bae Seul Gi, Yoo Seung Jun, MC Mong and H-Eugene's well-known friend, Teddy from 1TYM.

Kiss Me (feat. Bae Seul Gi) is definitely not a song someone would expect to be on a rap album. It's a cheerful and upbeat pop song with a gentle and light arrangement. The song has little trace of hip-hop and the majority of the song is made up of contemporary instruments like the piano and guitar, with a few synths every once in a while. A brass section is also heard in the background, providing a interesting twist. Vocally, the song isn't very heavy in the sense that the background vocals are quite subtle. Bae Seul Gi doesn't have an amazing voice, but she seems to fit perfectly with this song. H-Eugene's rapping blends in surprisingly well and doesn't clash that much with Bae Seul Gi's vocals. Overall, a very enjoyable pop track that works well with Kpop lovers.

Though the title track is a happy pop song, those who are trying to find pounding beats should not turn away. The album includes quite a few heavier-sounding hip-hop songs. Shorty (track 5) is an example of this and features some of the best rappers in the Korean music industry today. Each voice complements each other nicely, though they all retain their individuality. The song is a strikingly catchy hip-hop track that incorporates a powerful beat. The majority of the song also has a very computerized feel to it, which adds a modern twist. Similar songs include track 9 and 10. For those who enjoyed Kiss Me, there are still quite a few pop sounding tracks in the album. Namirago (track 2) is a beautiful ballad that seems to have similar qualities to other Kpop ballads that have been popular in recent years. The song has a sadness about it that works well with Shin Ji's vocals, while still retaining a certain uplifting feel. H-Eugene sounds out of place a few times, but much like Kiss Me, he seems to have found a way to work with the song. The song itself has a gorgeous arrangement that includes a haunting acoustic guitar.

Overall, this is quite an album. One might find the album bland at first, but if given the time, it has its rewards. Each song is unique and each artiste that was brought into this album gave a different edge to it. The only problem, however, is the fact that the album sounds more like a collaboration than H-Eugene's second album. H-Eugene definitely gets to show off his style, but each song feels as though it could be taken from the albums that the featured artistes released. However, it's a good album altogether and should not be missed if you enjoy the mix of styles.

4/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.[color="#800080"][/color]

First time I reviewed a hip-hop album.

PDIS (project album) - PDIS

Purchase this album

1. Intro (In To The Story 2008)
2. Drag (Feat. May Doni, Lee Han)
3. Pride (Feat. Tiger JK, May Doni)
4. I Love You (Feat. Joo Hyun Mi)
5. Queen Of Charisma (Feat. Um Jung Hwa)
6. You
7. Woman On The Beach (Feat. Lee Jae Hoon, Yuri, Kim Gun Mo, DK4RG)
8. Love For All (Feat. Jung Joon Ha)
9. Hold The Line 08’ Remix (Feat. Brown Eyed Girls)
10. Free Music (Feat. Brown Eyed Girls)
11. Sweet Potato
12. Outro (Hold The PDIS)
13. Drag (Bonus Track) (Original Mix)

Quoted from the album cover: "P is producer D is director I is instructor S is supervisor.

That is a very good description when two talented musicians team up on this project album. PD is Cho PD, a well-respected rapper. IS is Yoon Il Sang, a well-known producer and songwriter. Together they collaborate on this special album with the help of many artistes.

Before this album was released, a digital single "I Love You" (track 4) was first released back in January. This song is perhaps a first in Korea - mixing modern hip-hop with traditional trot music. Joo Hyun Mi, one of the most famous female trot singers in Korea, was the guest vocalist for this song. Her vocal, plus Cho PD's fluent rapping, make it a very unique song. Joo Hyun Mi even performed with PDIS live on Yoon Do Hyun's Love Letter programme. (watch here).

The real title song of this album is Drag (track 2). PDIS introduced new singer May Doni, who used to be trained under YG Entertainment. Unlike "I Love You", "Drag" is of the electronic and house genre, which is a far more familiar type of music that Yoo Il Sang is writing. This song is really a coming-out party for May Doni as she stole the spotlight. Her powerful vocal and dance moves showed viewers that she's one of the next generation of up-and-coming k-pop female singers.

Hold The Line 08 Remix (track 9) is probably a song that most people have heard of. It was one of the first Brown Eye Girls hit songs, written by Yoon Il Sang and rap by Cho PD. It was after the success of this song that Cho PD and Yoon Il Sang wanted to do a full album of crossover concepts together. Now this song is being remixed by Yoon Il Sang again for this album.

Many other tracks in this album are worth noticing. "Queen of Charisma" (track 5) features the real queen of charisma, Uhm Jung Hwa. It is an up-tempo song which reminds us of many of Uhm Jung Hwa's hits. Melody-wise, "You" (track 6) is the song I like most. This is one of only two songs in this album in which no other artistes are being featured. "Woman On The Beach" has a good summer feel. Why? Because ex-Cool members Lee Jae Hoon and Yuri were being featured, along with Kim Gun Mo, and DK4RG.

Since this is a project album, artistes are usually more liberal in trying different kinds of music. As with the case here, PDIS is mixing different genres such as electronic, house, and hip-hop flavors. The songs are not considered very commercial, yet they are mainstream enough to attract many listeners. I'd say even if you are not a fan, you should give this album a try.

5/5

5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.

BellaMafia - Overstep



01. BellaMafia
02. 꺼져버려
03. 소리없이
04. 널 기도해
05. BellaMafia (Band ver.)
06. 소리없이 (Piano ver.)

BellaMafia is a four member female group, consisting of leading and drummer Kim Soo Jin, vocalist Hyun Jooni, guitarist Song Eun Wha and bassist Lee Won Young. Don't be fooled and think that they are just another new really young group as they have an average age of 24.5. The group's style is pretty much pop/rock, but i'm afraid i really don't know much about this group which is unfortunate, though i happened to stumble upon some information on them on yesasia. Through that i found out that they were discovered by the drummer of Jaurim, Goo Tae Hoon at one of BellaMafia's street performances during the 2004 World Cup.
If i'm correct then this is the repackaged version of the first single (which was released earlier this year), with an extra song (track 5 is the extra song which is the title track).

BellaMafia (band version) is the catchy title track, it uses the song 'Axel F' (some of you guys may recognise this from the Crazy Frog song) in the background, it does enhance the track, giving it a club anthem feel. The video for this track gives off a very European feel, i don't think i've seen a video like from a korean artist (then again i've not seen every single video there is). I feel it is a good choice for a title track, a track that will make you move but don't be fooled and think that this is the type of music that they do.

My fav track however is track 6 소리없이 (Without a Sound) the piano version, i chose this becasue it really shows off the Hyun Jooni's voice, its not a track where a singer shows off their vocal range hitting every type of note. Hyun Jooni's voice 'feels' emotional, i don't understand korean but i feel the song if that makes any sense. The originally version is very very good as well! Just love the drums and guitar beats.


If you search on youtube you can find the video to BellaMafia and i think two live perfomances. One of the live performances they perform part of G.O.D's 어머님께 (To Mother) and their own song 꺼져버려 (Beat It). They really are good live!!! Hyun Jooni can rap really well as well!
So go and listen to this single! I highly recommend it!!

Rating: 5/5 Its GREAT!

Ratings Breakdown:
5/5 - Even if you're not a fan of this artist/group this album is a must buy.
4/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you must buy this album.
3/5 - If you're a fan of this artist/group, you might want to add this one to your collection.
2/5 - I don't think a fan would even buy this.
1/5 - You might as well just flush your money down the toilet.