Quick Reviews: Nah Youn-sun, Lee Soo-young, Pinodyne, Zion.T, Kwon Soon-kwan, CHEEZE, Taru, Lucia, Cho Yong-pil, Dear Cloud, Kim Bada, 4minute, SHINee, Geeks, and Younha
During the five weeks over which I’ve taken a break from reviews, we’ve seen some major releases make waves. In case you’ve missed some, here’s an even-quicker-than-usual overview of fifteen notable albums from that time period. (Full-length reviews and regular Quick Reviews will return next week.)
Nah Youn-Sun – Lento
Release: March 12, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Hub Music/Vitamin Entertainment
Genre: Jazz, blues
Reviewer Rating:
Nah Youn-sun‘s vocals are more charismatic and incisive than ever. The veteran jazz vocalist is a dazzle as she refuses to be outdone by an instrumental supporting cast as intense (Momento Magico) as it is exotic (Soundless Bye). She burns with passion, celebrates in fashion, laments with aridity, and evokes with acidity. There are enough breathtaking moments here to fill an entire discography; taken as a whole, it’s one of the most forceful, deliberate vocal performances in the history of Korean jazz. This eighth album is a spellbound moment and an early candidate for album of the year.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Lento
2. Lament
3. Hurt
4. Empty Dream
5. Momento Magico
6. Soundless Bye
7. Full Circle
8. Ghost Riders in the Sky
9. Waiting
10. Arirang
11. New Dawn
Lee Soo-young – 클래식: 더 리메이크 두번째 (Classic: The Remake, Second)
Release: March 28, 2013
Producer/Distributor: T Entertainment/Neowiz Internet
Genre: Ballad
Reviewer Rating:
Has it really been nine years since the first one of these? Lee Soo-young returns to pure ballad as she tackles another set of (newer) classics, and she’s as fluent as ever in the language of massive orchestration and gliding melodies. The sequel isn’t quite as good as the original: there are glimpses of ambitious instrumentation (most notably 희재 (Hee-jae) and 인연 (Serendipity)), but the exquisite balance enjoyed by the first Classic: The Remake (2004) is missing here, as is a mold-breaking curve ball like that album’s 누구라도 그러하듯이 (As It Is For Anyone). But while we’re waiting for Lee’s tenth studio release, this tender collection will do nicely.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. 사랑하면 할수록 (The More I Love) – Original by Han Sung-min, 2003
2. 희재 (Hee-jae) - Original by Sung Si-kyung, 2003
3. Donde Voy – Original by Tish Hinosoja, 1999
4. 제3한강교 (Han River Bridge #3) – Original by Hye Eun-yi, 2006
5. 인연 (Serendipity) - Original by Lee Seung-chul, 2004
6. 모처럼 (For Once) - Original by Yoon Jong-shin, 2000
7. 눈의 꽃 (Snowflake) - As remade by Park Hyo-shin, 2004; original by Mika Nakashima, 2003
8. 옛 이야기 (Old Story) – Original by Kim Kyu-min, 1991
Pinodyne – PINOcchio
Release: April 2, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Hi-Lite Records/Genuine Music
Genre: Hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:
Soul Fish and Huckleberry P both have sleek, easy-going styles, but production of the former kind is becoming more common (and even expected) in this scene. The lyricism is what sells this sophomore album, so it’s a great thing that Huck P is thoroughly entertaining. 걸리버여행기 (Gulliver’s Travels) puts cheeky metaphor and allusion to satirical use, while 손만 잡고 잘게 (I’ll Sleep Just Holding Your Hand) has a believably playful dynamic of sexual tension. When the rapper is not being funny, he excels at injecting listeners into a persona. We see from the perspectives of an allegorical Huckleberry Finn; a hitherto-sheltered young adult taking his first step outside; a younger brother who can’t live up to expectations set by his sibling; a single mom fighting for her child; and so on. It’s Huck P’s vivid language that makes these characters come alive and portray a snapshot of our lives.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Chapter 2. 다음 장으로 (To the Next Chapter)
2. 걸리버여행기 (Gulliver’s Travels) Part 1 – Featuring Evo
3. 캥거루 (Kangaroo) – Featuring Jerry.K, NuSoul
4. 허클베리 핀의 모험 (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) – Featuring Koonta
5. 오후 2시 (2 P.M.) – Featuring B-Free, Soul One, Paloalto
6. The Lotto
7. 토요일 밤 (Saturday Night) [Skit]
8. 손만 잡고 잘게 (I’ll Sleep Just Holding Your Hand) – Featuring Kwan, Satbyeol
9. 쓰다 (Bitter) – Featuring Kim Sa-rang
10. 벽 (Wall) – Featuring Ben
11. Re: 허풍쟁이 (Boaster) – Featuring Crucial Star
12. Pain – Featuring Junggigo
13. 고마워서 (Because I’m Thankful) – Featuring Soulman
Zion.T – Red Light
Release: April 9, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Amoeba Culture/Loen Entertainment
Genre: R&B, hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:
How do you stop something that’s unstoppable? It’s a legitimate question when it comes to this ridiculously prolific, uniquely gifted vocalist. Zion.T‘s long-awaited debut album meets all the hype and then some; it’s got bold directing, imaginative and polished beats, and freedom of flow without losing focus. Tying it all together is, of course, the man’s golden voice. He wields that inimitable croon like a motor boat, floating and bobbing along for the most part but sometimes steering with gusto. He often switches styles multiple times in the same song, and isn’t afraid to recruit a little electronic help to fill up space. We knew Zion.T had mastered the voice; now it seems like he’s mastering everything else. He’s still just twenty-four, by the way.
Tracklist (recommended tracks in bold)
1. O
2. Doop – Featuring Verbal Jint
3. 도도해 (Sassy)
4. She – Featuring Beenzino
5. Neon
6. Babay – Featuring Gaeko of Dynamic Duo
7. 지구온난화 (Global Warming) – Featuring YDG
8. 뻔한 멜로디 (Predictable Melody) – Featuring Crush
9. Doop – Instrumental
10. Neon – Director’s Cut
11. Click Me (2013) – Featuring Dok2
Kwon Soon-kwan – A Door
Release: April 11, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Happy Robot Records/Neowiz Internet
Genre: Pop, ballad
Reviewer Rating:
Almost every track on A Door is engaging within the first ten seconds. That’s a testament to the power of Kwon Soon-kwan‘s brilliance with instrumentation. Into a broadly pop-rock base, he brings in brass and strings, staccatos and fuzz. Under Kwon’s direction these become dense, highly complex tracks – for example, note the background activity in Keep Going - that still remain accessible for anyone by way of broadly stroked melodies and efficient layering. This sophistry sets the No Reply vocalist’s solo debut apart from other albums in the genre, and gives him a better stage to what he does just as well: tell fascinatingly evocative stories.
Tracklist (recommended in bold)
1. Home Again
2. 그렇게 웃어줘 (Just Smile Like That)
3. 우연일까요 (Is It Coincidence)
4. Keep Going
5. 건너편 (The Other Side)
6. 긴 여행을 떠나요 (Go On a Long Journey)
7. Tonight
8. 별 (Star)
9. One More Time
10. 변하지 않는 것들 (Things Unchanging)
11. A Door
CHEEZE – Recipe!
Release: April 16, 2013
Producer/Distributor: RealCollabo/CJ E&M
Genre: R&B pop, jazz
Reviewer Rating:
Recipe! is, I imagine, exactly the kind of album that RealCollabo was created for. CHEEZE examines slices of daily lives, ranging from love at first college project to falling asleep while getting over an ex. Vocalist Dalchongi‘s performance is appropriately sweet to accompany the two producers’ muted, sleek pop-ballad beats. The supporting cast (including Winterplay trumpeter Lee Joo-han) is discreet but adds crucially to the album’s quality. Recipe! is delightful through and through.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Intro – Narration by David a.k.a. Kim Sung-won
2. Have A Nice Day
3. 조별과제 (Group Project)
4. 망고 (Mango)
5. 개와 고양이 (Dog and Cat) – Interlude
6. 우리는 네발로 걷지 (We Walk on Four Legs)
7. 이 밤 (Tonight)
8. Sleep
9. 결혼해주오 (Marry Me)
10. 빠빠빠 (Ba ba ba) – Featuring Brothersu
11. From – Featuring RealCollabo
12. 누가 우리 치즈를 옮겼을까 (Who Moved Our Cheese)
Taru – Puzzle
Release: April 17, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Sony Music
Genre: Pop, ballad
Reviewer Rating:
Puzzle is decidedly more rock-focused compared to Taru‘s previous works – there’s a modern-rock and alternative undercurrent lasting the duration of the album. As a result, the album gains some of the driving power that was lacking in those older works, but it loses the moments of rawest emotion that 100 Percent Reality (2011) evoked. To me, this is a net loss. 기침 (Cough) does not quite replicate the gut-wrenching impact that 지금이 아니면 (If Not Now) or 여기서 끝내자 (Let’s End It Here) delivered. If we ignore this, Puzzle has some great moments (mostly in its up-tempo pop-rock variants) amongst a few duds. Encouragingly, she’s still sticking to her motto – making “music that comforts”.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Puzzle
2. Rachel
3. Kiss You
4. My Sun
5. 새벽의 저주 (Curse of the Morning)
6. 기침 (Cough)
7. Carrie
8. 너와 사귀어 주지 말걸 (Shouldn’t Have Dated You)
9. Bad Commenter
10. Ending
Lucia – 꽃그늘 (Flower Shade)
Release: April 18, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Pastel Music/Danal
Genre: Ballad, pop
Reviewer Rating:
Lucia doesn’t really seem to do sad songs – melancholy, sure, but not full-on minor-chord sorrow. (Here’s exhibit 1 and exhibit 2.) So it’s surprising to see a somber lead single from her: 그런 계절 (Such a Season) opens with a desolate intro not out of place in a tragic historical drama and builds with Lucia’s characteristically delicate lyrics. Before long, we have an impeccably detailed and aching waltz. Lucia returns to regularly scheduled programming soon enough, but with no true killing track out of those, Such a Season leaves a very lasting impression.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. 사과꽃 (Apple Bloom)
2. 그런 계절 (Such a Season)
3. 실편백나무 (Real Cypress)
4. 5월의 당신은 (You in May)
5. 담담하게 (Serenely)
Cho Yong-pil – Hello
Release: April 23, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Pil Records/Universal Music
Genre: Pop, ballad, rock
Reviewer Rating:
There’s not much more I can say about the artist; Cho Yong-pil is hands-down the greatest legend in Korean music, the country’s most famous and most widely respected musician. But for that matter, that’s not much new for me to say about the album, either. As one of the most anticipated albums of the last decade or so, Hello has produced quite a bit of informal literature to go along with explosive popular reactions. Let me say this, then: people are right that Mr. Cho’s 19th studio release is not the kind of masterpiece they were hoping for. Others are also right that his boldness in embracing electronica and pop-rock and his deftness using them are both impressive. Hello is still an excellent album, displaying in many ways the marks of an artist who most definitely knows what he’s doing. I think this album is likely to end up being transitional: a release that shows Cho Yong-pil’s creative juices haven’t gone anywhere and that he can adapt to changes, to be followed up by a 20th album that is the masterpiece that people are waiting for. That’s also the hope.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Bounce
2. Hello – Featuring Verbal Jint
3. 걷고 싶다 (Want to Walk)
4. 충전이 필요해 (Need Charging)
5. 서툰 바람 (Clumsy Winds)
6. 말해볼까 (Shall I Say)
7. 널 만나면 (When I Meet You)
8. 어느 날 귀로에서 (One Day on the Way Back Home)
9. 설렘 (Flutter)
10. 그리운 것은 (Things I Miss)
Dear Cloud – Let It Shine
Release: April 24, 2013
Producer/Distributor: MY Music/Mirrorball Music
Genre: Modern rock
Reviewer Rating:
Let It Shine is not too different from Bright Lights (2011); dreamy guitars, expansive melodies, and Nine9‘s reassuring husky tone all return here. Perhaps there’s a little more shade of post-rock, a little more shoegaze effect, a little more synthesizer. They are welcome additions, giving Dear Cloud’s music all the more scale and exhilaration. It’s not a real ambitious album, but that’s okay - See the Light and U are moving regardless. This band is already used to dreaming big.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. See the Light
2. 12
3. U
4. 하루만큼 강해진 너에게 (To You, Strengthened by a Day)
5. Polaris
6. 그대와 춤추는 밤 (A Night Dancing with You)
Kim Bada – N. Surf Part 1
Release: April 25, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Evermore Music/Mirrorball Music
Genre: Rock
Reviewer Rating:
As the man himself says, Kim Bada‘s EP is not of his more experimental ilk. It’s not quite like his Art of Parties work, either; N. Surf Part 1 is more mainstream-oriented, embracing electronica, pop-rock, and even a slow-jam ballad. It’s an unexpected turn for the power vocalist, and individual results are pretty impressive. Searching marries industrial and new wave into a heady mold, while 푸르게 떠나 (Leave in Blue) sees Kim subduing his edge and letting the Rhodes timbre fill the space. I think it’s too eclectic to be a cohesive body of work, but this EP manages to endow a 20-year veteran with the perception of limitless potential.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. N. Surf
2. Searching
3. 베인 (Cut)
4. 푸르게 떠나 (Leave in Blue)
5. 베인 (Cut) – Radio Edit
4minute – Name is 4minute
Release: April 26, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Cube Entertainment/Universal Music
Genre: Dance pop
Reviewer Rating:
As much as I seem to rag on the producer, I’ll grant that What’s Your Name? is leaps and bounds better than Brave Brothers’ other lead-single work of late. It’s got more life than Sistar19‘s Gone Not Around Any Longer and Son Dambi‘s Tears Flow put together. It inexplicably throws away all sustained buildup whenever it gets to the chorus, but there’s a good amount of tension elsewhere. That’s keeping in line with 4minute‘s return to aggressive club tune. Whatever allows Hyuna to show off some of the charismatic rapping she’s refined through Melting (2012) while also featuring the EP’s strongest vocal contributions. Gimme That and Domino are also relentless synth baths, which means this is a rare no-ballad release; that’s just as well, since ballads have often turned out to be filler for 4minute. Name is 4minute is loud and flashy – and thankfully, it doesn’t try to hide that.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. What’s My Name?
2. 이름이 뭐예요? (What’s Your Name?)
3. Whatever
4. Gimme That
5. Domino
SHINee – SHINee The 3rd Album Chapter 2. ‘Why So Serious – The Misconceptions of Me’
Release: April 26, 2013
Producer/Distributor: SM Entertainment/KMP Holdings
Genre: Dance pop, synthpop
Reviewer Rating:
The follow-up component of SHINee’s third album is qualitatively on par with its predecessor. Just as in The Misconceptions of You, it’s hard to pinpoint any real weaknesses in either SM Entertainment’s game (flawless instrumental polish and effective sonic devices) or SHINee’s (ability to do anything asked of them and increasingly convincing vocal acting). The Misconceptions of Me is more theatrical, starting with the zombie-themed adrenaline of Why So Serious? to scene-setting Excuse Me Miss, and it’s certainly emotionally darker. That means there’s a bigger onus on the vocalists to deliver more persuasive performances, and everybody – I mean everybody - passes with flying colors. I think this is actually a collection of better songs, if not a better collection of songs, compared to Chapter 1. I see now that throwing these parts together into one album really wouldn’t have worked, although a part of me does want to see an 18-track idol album in the 21st century. It’d be like H.O.T.‘s I Yah! without the talk tracks.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Nightmare
2. Why So Serious?
3. SHINe (Medusa I)
4. 오르골 (Orgel)
5. Dangerous (Medusa II)
6. Like a Fire
7. Excuse Me Miss
8. Evil
9. 떠나지 못해 (Sleepless Night)
Geeks – Backpack
Release: April 29, 2013
Producer/Distributor: WA Entertainment & Grandline Entertainment/KT Music
Genre: Hip-hop
Reviewer Rating:
There’s hip-hop lite and rap ballad galore in Backpack, which doesn’t exactly give Geeks the best genre advantage towards being taken as heavyweights. The duo seems okay with that, though, because they show remarkable focus in making this debut album as friendly and accessible as possible. Wash Away and 집앞에서 (At the Front Door) bring the impact early, but the remainder of Backpack is mostly laid-back production and mellow lyricism. Not a terribly interesting release just yet, but their passion is palpable.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Lights On
2. Wash Away – Featuring Ailee
3. 집앞에서 (전화 받지 마 Part 2) (At the Front Door (Don’t Pick Up the Phone Part 2)) – Featuring Crucial Star
4. It’s Raining (Skit #1) – Song by Stella Jang
5. 비가오네 (It’s Raining) – Featuring Park Su-min
6. Backpack
7. Getting on You – Featuring DJ Dopsh
8. 아마 (Maybe)
9. 어때 (How Are You) – Featuring Harim
10. 잉여인간 (Waste of Space) (Skit #2) – Song by Stella Jang
11. 잉여인간 (Waste of Space)
12. Siren – Featuring Swings
13. Love, Life 그 한가운데서 (In the Midst)
14. 헌신 (Sacrifice)
15. 유언 (Last Words)
Younha – Just Listen
Release: May 2, 2013
Producer/Distributor: wealive/CJ E&M
Genre: Ballad, modern rock
Reviewer Rating:
It’s two consecutive bold moves for Younha. Having carved out a modern-rock template for her future in Supersonic, she branches out a little further in this breather of an EP. Three tracks – Fireworks, 우리가 헤어진 진짜 이유 (The Real Reason We Broke Up), and 바다아이 (Ocean Child) – appear to be direct extensions of Supersonic’s atmospheric and driving musical themes, and these are all powerful. The one new trick displayed here, the reggae infusion in Just Listen, offers treats in the form of visceral groove and sophisticated arrangement. The other tracks are more predictable and bog the EP down, but this is another solid addition to a burgeoning discography.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Just Listen – Featuring Skull
2. Fireworks
3. 우리가 헤어진 진짜 이유 (The Real Reason We Broke Up)
4. 봄은 있었다 (There Was Spring)
5. 아니야 (That’s Not It)
6. One Fine Day
7. 바다아이 (Ocean Child)
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the reviewer and not of hellokpop as a whole.
Agree or disagree? Or have a recent release that you’d like to see reviewed? Let us know with your comments below! Requested albums will be considered each week and may be selected to be reviewed in the subsequent week.
Sources: Photos – Daum Music
Quick Reviews: Lee Soo-ryun, SHINee, and small o
Lee Soo-ryun -동화일기 (Fairytale Diary)
Release: February 14, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Happy Robot Records/Neowiz Internet
Genre: Instrumental, acoustic
Reviewer Rating:
Fairytale Diary is quite different from any of The Koxx‘s prior releases – if you expected the band’s guitarist to debut with something close to electro-garage, you’re in for a surprise. Lee Soo-ryun is as expressive in acoustic as he is dazzling in electric, painting desolate landscapes and telling bleak stories. The brokenness of 나비벌 (Butterfly Bee)‘s metaphor and the twisted loneliness of 라푼젤 (Rapunzel) are exquisitely concentrated; surprising vocal adeptness from Lee (I’m not sure he can’t do a better job than even front man Lee Hyun-song if the band goes to ballad) and a welcome, characteristically dry performance from Oh Ji-eun fill in the blanks. There is uncommon vision in Fairytale Diary, and while it’s sometimes hampered by a lack of clearer direction, the potential is undeniable. Oh, it helps that the guy can play like he does in Forest.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Forest
2. 잎파랑이 (Leaves)
3. 나비벌 (Butterfly Bee)
4. Empty
5. 라푼젤 (Rapunzel) – Featuring Oh Ji-eun
6. 수면에게 (To Slumber)
SHINee – SHINee The 3rd Album Chapter 1. ‘Dream Girl – The Misconceptions of You’
Release: February 19, 2013
Producer/Distributor: SM Entertainment/KMP Holdings
Genre: Dance pop, synthpop
Reviewer Rating:
For all this talk of genre diversification among idol groups, few teams actually make that transition successfully – there’s the YG artists and Secret, but it’s only a handful in all. Meanwhile, SM Entertainment has kept to the electronic path, steadily evolving its brand of synthpop with each release. The accumulated know-how helps SHINee hit another home run with its third album. (Look, I’m not typing that ridiculous title again.) The album feels leaner than before, in several ways. Heavy synth textures are used only sparingly as cleaner pads and airy rock instrumentation put the “dream” into [ridiculous title]. Lyrics are thematically lighter and a lot easier on the ears. It parts ways, in large part, with both Yoo Young-jin‘s SMP vision and the agency’s traditional ritualistic appeal.
As a result, the album doesn’t have a track quite as explosive as Sherlock or Lucifer, but there are still killers here – Dream Girl, Punch Drunk Love, and Dynamite all deliver some of the headiest moments in recent memory. The lean-look SHINee is even flexible enough to incorporate bits of new storytelling devices (Spoiler‘s tongue-in-cheek preview and Girls, Girls, Girls‘s advice dynamic, for two). The ballads admittedly still need work (I think SM might apply the f(x) approach and make even this group’s ballads electro-based). Still, SHINee’s set another high bar with a tour-de-force exercise in dance pop.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Spoiler
2. Dream Girl
3. 히치하이킹 (Hitchhiking)
4. Punch Drunk Love
5. Girls, Girls, Girls
6. 방백 (Aside)
7. 아름다워 (Beautiful)
8. 다이너마이트 (Dynamite)
9. Runaway
small o – That will fall
Release: February 21, 2013
Producer/Distributor: Fluxus Music/KT Music
Genre: Indie rock
Reviewer Rating:
That will fall can be an electrifying album. Note the qualifier; this EP is really as good as you allow it to be. small o professes to pursue post-folk, and there’s a heavy psychedelic tint to the band’s style. Eastern Sidekick vocalist Oh Joo-hwan is joined by a harmonic chorus almost as often as not, and imagery of nature abound in both lyrics and sound. Most tracks offer a very visceral pleasure that arises from small o’s rhythmic, repetitive use of lyrics. 까마귀 (Magi) is a potent combination of these, featuring an exotic melody with enchanting chords and chaotically mounting tension. Now, some of this falls apart on closer inspection. 코끼리 (Elephant) diminishes in impact once the novelty of the three-act structure wears off, and although the sound-effect garnish and decorative language of lead single That will fall are lovely, neither the message nor the melody are especially compelling. The surreality enveloping That will fall (the album) is of essence; if you are willing to overlook the sometimes contrived lyrics and sound that hold up that surreality, this really is – can be, rather – a great album.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. 까마귀 (Magi)
2. Fisher and another father
3. 코끼리 (Elephant)
4. That will fall
5. 순환선의 풍경 (Landscape of a circular railway)
6. That will fall – Radio Edit
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the reviewer and not of hellokpop as a whole.
Agree or disagree? Or have a recent release that you’d like to see reviewed? Let us know with your comments below! Requested albums will be considered each week and may be selected to be reviewed in the subsequent week.
Minho and Suzy perform a special stage
On December 21st, KBS2TV‘s Music Bank shared a photo on their official Twitter, saying “Today’s Music Bank’s another special stage! What kind of special stage did these two people prepare. Please look forward to it!”
In the photo, SHINee‘s Minho and Miss A‘s Suzy are looking friendly in the waiting room. They are looking toward the camera with bright smiles and have caught the attention of their fans.
People who have seen this photo reacted, “They look good together”, “Minho and Suzy chemistry is the best”, “Visual daebak”, “They are shining even when they just stand there”, “Yesterday’s stage was amazing”.
On the stage, Minho and Suzy acted out a parody scene for Architecture 101 (건축학개론) which Suzy starred in this year and drew in attention of many fans.
Source: KBS Music Bank Twitter
Pictures of SHINee Minho’s birthday party revealed
A photo of Minho‘s birthday party has been revealed through Twitter. SHINee‘s member Minho shared his feelings through Super Junior‘s Kyuhyun‘s Twitter saying, “This is Minho. I’m so touched with Kyuhyun hyung’s cake. It’s a very happy Birthday. Heechul hyung, Kangin hyung, Donghae hyung, Kyuhyun hyung, and Jonghyun hyung, I love you.”
Minho shared his thanks and gratitude for his fellow label-mates who congratulated him for his birthday on December 9th. In the photo, Minho can be seen with Kyuhyun, Donghae, TVXQ Changmin, and SHINee Jonghyun as they celebrate Minho’s Birthday party together.
Netizens who saw the photos of Minho’s birthday party said, “I want to be invited to Minho’s birthday party”, “Minho’s birthday party? I can congratulate him too”, “So good looking”, “Looks like Minho gets a lot of love from his hyungs.”
Source: news and photo-The Star
Album Review: SHINee – Sherlock
Release: March 19, 2012
Distributor: SM Entertainment
Rating:
When I heard that the new SHINee EP would adopt some concept of combining two tracks into one, my initial reaction was this. “Um, isn’t that what that company’s been doing for a while?” Because, as we know, one of the recurring characteristics of composer Yoo Young-jin‘s philosophy is the amalgamation of two (or three or four) wildly different themes in a musical potpourri that sometimes works well and sometimes explodes in our face. I wouldn’t have been surprised to find out, for example, that TVXQ‘s Rising Sun (2005) or Tri-Angle (2004) or – heck, let’s go way back – H.O.T.‘s I Yah (1999) were actually several separate tracks combined. But no, apparently SHINee’s Sherlock is the first time that this has been done intentionally. Experimentation is still in style at SM Entertainment.
The premise: two tracks, Clue and Note, each with a distinct theme, are combined into the lead single Sherlock. Simple enough in theory. That said, the two “ingredient” tracks really are quite different: Clue is a heady club tune that creates tension with bombastic brass and bouncy bass, while Note lives and dies by its sweeping melodies and potent chorus. Sure, the two share some similar brass textures and whatnot, and the dichotomy isn’t as bad as with some of the old SMP songs mentioned above, but these are not songs that you’d readily expect to merge.
The composer staff, headlined by longtime SM collaborator Thomas Troelsen, figures out a way to do it. Essentially, clips of Clue become Sherlock‘s verses and bridges, while Note becomes the chorus and refrain. In a departure from Yoo’s style, the transitions are virtually seamless: Note‘s melody slides in very naturally at the chorus, and the abrupt disappearance of the complex bass layer that accompanies that transition ends up sounding like a harmless stylistic flair.
Sherlock is free to become the latest entry in a long line of excellent dance pop tracks to come out of this label in recent years. By nature, the track’s structure lends itself to very effective management of both tension and release; the vibrancy and fidelity of the brass line and other instrumentals give dimension to the handsome melody and the trademark SM-polish to the song. The track is permeated by a shower of vocals from every direction, and while Jonghyun predictably steals the show (his very first verse is probably the most vocally impressive moment of the song), others – notably Taemin – stand their ground with solid performances.
Thematically, the metaphor of the detective is a good idea, but the concept is overshadowed by the execution: lyricist Cho Yun-gyong‘s language is pregnant with intrigue and rich in imagination, creating electric atmosphere and in-the-moment intensity that complements the sound. Her almost fantastical expressions are reminiscent of Kim Yi-na‘s, although Sherlock (as well as Cho’s other work, notably with F(x)) is not as visceral as Kim’s lyrics. It should be said that there’s not a whole lot in the way of narrative here, given the stream-of-consciousness presentation; Clue and Note fill in some of the story, but Sherlock works fine without that.
The rest of the EP is rounded out by four tracks of safer mold. Pop-ballad Alarm Clock is the best of the bunch, featuring a tame yet heavy beat to be punctuated by an arpeggio of flute. The Reason is a pleasant ballad that does little to distinguish itself, while Honesty provides the album’s sole unplugged moment. Stranger stands out for its somewhat retro sound and abrasive beat approach, but quickly turns pedestrian. It’s pretty difficult to follow up Sherlock and the other pieces, but the final three tracks are downright forgettable – even the vocal performances fall a notch. It’s a similar problem to one that SHINee’s Lucifer (2010) had. (Though I’ll grant that that album’s opening troika was even more difficult to follow up than this.)
Even before Sherlock, SHINee was the among the most consistently excellent boy bands in terms of production – the most consistent in my view, with Infinite somewhere close by. SM’s creative innovation has been a large part of that, and Sherlock again raises the bar in this department. Is it a seminal piece of work? No, it isn’t. But it is another example of the kind of excellence that corporate planning can sometimes produce; a reminder that for many groups, such excellence is now recurrent rather than exceptional. SHINee goes even further – they’re making it into a trend.
Tracklist (recommended tracks listed in bold)
1. Sherlock
2. Clue
3. Note
4. 알람시계 (Alarm Clock)
5. The Reason
6. 낯선자 (Stranger)
7. 늘 그 자리에 (Honesty)*
* Official translation by agency. Literal translation reads “Always In That Place”.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the individual and not of hellokpop.
