Album Review: Yu Young 1st Mini-album - Again

Yu Young 1st Mini-album – Again

01 . UP!!
02 . 안되는 건데
(Should Not)
03 . With me
04 . 사랑해 너를 (I Love You)
05 . Good-bye
06. UP!! (Instrumental)
07. 안되는 건데
(Instrumental)

Purchase this album

The name Yu Young might not ring a bell when you are looking through the music selections these days. But, those who are fans of the old school group ZaZa might find themselves thinking back to more than a decade ago. Remember “In The Bus?” Yu Young was the lead vocalist for the quartet and it’s surprising to see that it has taken 12 years for her to finally go solo. With that said, for music fans who are looking for someone with variety, Yu Young might be what you need. Though her first mini-album features few genres out of the standard Korean music industry, you can at least hear some variety between tracks. If that doesn’t impress you, she also writes her own lyrics for all her songs. So, let’s check it out.

Should Not was chosen for the title track, which is interesting considering it’s the only ballad found in the mini-album. The song itself ventures little outside the ordinary ballad, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good. The song seems to incorporate a slight twist with its style through the use of strings as well contemporary instruments. The blend produces an emotional ballad that fits Yu Young’s rather awkward vocals. Her voice has a slight tinge of nasal, which might not bode well for some listeners. Still, for fans of Lee Soo Young, you might find the techniques in the vocals, as well as the song itself, rather familiar.

The rest of the album isn’t full of such nice ballads though. Instead, most of it tends to swing towards the upbeat side. “UP!!”, the first song on the CD, provides a sexier feel. With a more exotic approach, the song is quite interesting. Still, this song is probably the worst in here. It lacks a lot of strength instrumentally and the vocals are just plain strange. However, one might enjoy the dance track “With me“. It’s surprisingly refreshing and unlike other artistes who tend to distort their vocals, Yu Young leaves them clear of that distraction and actually sounds quite tolerable here compared to “Up!!”. The catchy melody mixed with the great vocal arrangement definitely makes this the best song on the mini-album. Other songs include the jazzy “I Love You” and the trance directed “Good-bye”.

All in all, don’t pass up this CD. Yu Young isn’t the strongest vocalist, but her mini-album is definitely a solid release and features a bit of variety, especially considering it only has 7 tracks (2 being instrumentals).

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.