K-pop 2013

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WOWW @ this high-heeled wearing rookie boyband with glorious abs, N.O.M.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vmlYkbcVeA

Influenced by the amazing Ukrainian boyband Kazaky:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhN5yv8lvdc

I love this concept!! If only the song wasn't a Sexyback ripoff, sigh... fingers crossed they'll stick around and work on better music.

Listening to IU's new album. The teasers were stylish but so far this is leaving zero impression. Right now the only tracks I even sort of like are "Wait" and - actually - the one composed by SHINee's Jonghyun.

Disappointed with the first of the big-name October comebacks, hopefully the next one (9muses? T-ara?) will be better.

I was eagerly awaiting IU's album during the long wait but when the teasers and tracklist hit I lost all hope that it would be what I wanted. So I came to it with low expectations and little enthusiasm. From that perspective I think the album sound decent on first listen. It's not as awkwardly pastiche-y as I feared from teasers. Some songs sound like ones I'll stay with.

The best track is 'Bad Day' which was revealed live a long time ago. I really like the single but I never really doubted that. Fun MV http://youtu.be/Q0xvVgKJxfs

I mean the blabla mr chaplin type nods in 'Modern Times' (the song) is what I feared the whole album would be and luckily it's not. But as well-meaning as Loen Tree always come off I think they're still too caught on some superficial idea of finding the right 'concept' here instead of IU's strengths as performer and songwriter.

Yeah, that sounds right to me. The tracks themselves are just sort there - competantly executed but not particularly complex paint-by-numbers retro-jazz. And IU doesn't help matters when she approaches nearly every track with the same sighing delivery. It's a relaxing CD but the competent pastische combined with the delivery makes it boring. I like the Jonghyun track just because she's not sighong her way through that one. Will listen to 'Bad Day' again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qk52ypnGs68

Is it their 9th hit single?

Here's the (superior?) second single: http://youtu.be/7IzezDJrHoU

And the club version: http://youtu.be/EbceZjBEhdQ

I'm into Number 9. OG T-ara still got it.

Here's a rather odd pairing of VIXX and indie duo Oksang Dalbit http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/11938812.html

Although I like it for the turning of tables of girls as band + songwriters and the boys as pretty singers in front.

I thought that song was kinda boring, but I liked their joint performance of "An Ideal Man" on YHY's Sketchbook: http://youtu.be/9QoJ_Hkg_EU <-- Super qt, both the girls and the boys.

Also, while we're sharing the VIXX love, here's an ace acapella arrangement of On and On: http://youtu.be/LcyZDjaiLTc?t=16m20s

And of course the infamous VIXXgirls: http://youtu.be/SeR2DYTOOEQ

Number 9 has a really great rising chorus.

Dialect rap:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fuuyY2leb0

There are some really solid tracks on the Nine Muses album... besides the single, which is fun in a pleasantly-passing-the-time-until-we-can-hammer-the-chorus-into-your-head kind of way**, there's at least two or three other tracks that are sounding pretty good right now.

**The chorus of GUN is reminding me of Girl's Day - Twinkle... Not complaining, just observing XD.

Standout tracks right now would be:
A Few Good Man: http://youtu.be/q6fwQ0qkikg
Ping: http://youtu.be/PKAwl5vhBD0

And Whatever, Last Scene aren't too bad either!

Kind of disappointed that they went more for the kind of the Big Bang Showtunes sound a lot of girl groups are doing right now, but Nine Muses are good at this sound because they can belt it out XD and they also sound good singing in unison, which is perfect for this kind of cheese.

The single:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7pXRdkdJxI

Also, you'll want to skip the first two tracks on SHINee's Everybody mini and just listen to the rest of the album:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLklPxocon-JIrQDOlIn15ahztI2ecUy8x&v=Cj6UaeUcWl8

One more and I'm done, I swear! This is off Block B's album, it's got Jo Hyun Ah from (very respected) indie dance outfit Urban Zakapa on it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsRy1McJX8I

Generally Sweetune spread themselves too thin for album projects to work. Interested in listening to the 9m if it's not just the single + filler though.

Nice new Jaurim single http://youtu.be/LrB-fJn-3w4

Definitely not, unlike some of Sweetune's other albums you could argue which 9m track should have been the single.

Late with my album list, but here we go - counting mini-albums as albums ('cause this is rehearsal for my Pazz & Jop ballot and P&J doesn't have a separate EP category) and counting After School maxi-singles as albums too since they always have more distinct new songs (as opposed to remixes, alternate versions, etc.) than anyone else's mini-albs have.

1. After School First Love EP (Pledis Entertainment)
2. Orange Caramel Orange Caramel (Avex)
3. D-Unit Affirmative Chapter.1 EP (D-Business Entertainment/Windmill Media)
4. Delight Mega Yak EP (BrosMedia Entertainment)
5. 4minute Name Is 4minute EP (Cube Entertainment)
6. Lee Hyori Monochrome (B2M Entertainment)
7. SHINee Why So Serious? The Misconceptions Of Me (The 3rd Album, Chapter 2) (SM Entertainment)

Falling further behind on everything. IU albs have never been consistent but I like the new one for going for style rather than for schlock ballads but dislike it for being overstylized. There's just no pleasing me but my thumb's more up than down on it. On first listen Tahiti and GI mini-albs are surprisingly likable. Also finding that the first couple of Psy albums from 12 and 11 years ago respectively are strong. And liking Gavy NJ from 2008. And Shin Joong Hyun/Kim Jung Mi from 1973.

Can we add BoA's Message single to that list? The B-side is really good as well: http://youtu.be/SS8FvGgjMfI

I don't think Frank crowd-sources his lists and his BoA favorites tend to come far apart and not in sync with mine, but I am enjoying that single and particularly the b-side as well and the 'rolling advertisement' business in Japan is apparently still innovating

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BXRiTm7CIAECK_1.jpg:large

Oh I know, I just thought I should attach my comment vaguely to the one that came before so it'd look more like a conversation

Those busses are really pretty

all the ones around here just have Everybody Loves Raymond Weeknights at 9 on them :O

*:( hahaha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0kJx2M1wGI

Thank you for posting the Gavy NJ song, Frank. I love it. The beat and vocal melody, as well as the general mood, are delightfully reminiscent of The Seeya's "Be With You" from last year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=778DeIRW92M
A (sadly truncated) live rendition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3hrkID5a74

That was one of my favourites. I hope with the winter looming it'll be time for CCM to roll out The Seeya for some heartbreak and lost-love-longing again.

Here's Gavy in better quality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBE8QXqVdrg

huh. That post shows up really funny, sorry! Didn't mean to embed all the videos either.

omg @ "messegi" rolling live instrumental

With the news about Chi Chi disbanding (;_;), I found this: http://youtu.be/xMlGUqWUIJg

Park Jiyoon the late-90s-early-2000s idol songstress of "Coming Of Age Ceremony" returned with Primary-produced single "Mr. Lee" a week or two ago, topping instiz as of this writing. I can't seem to twist my brain in a way that would allow it to comprehend Primary productions as being music, but perhaps the friends of his style here will enjoy it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa8TBfPw3u0

Park released some stuff in the years between, including songs she wrote herself, but without commercial success. She seems to be doing very well with this one though, and apparently plans to work with different producers over the next year to release a mini-album for each season.

Here is 4Minute's Jeon Jiyoon singing Coming Of Age Ceremony.

(now did I get the formatting right this time)

As someone who likes Primary's style, I like this, thanks centurion!

Troublemaker return, minus the whistling hook and plus alcohol, cigarettes, prostitution and general dysfunction:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pw972Kl3L0

I like the way the opening echos the original Trouble Maker single. The song isn't an instant earworm like 'Trouble Maker', but Hyuna's rap part and Huyngseung's acting are both improved, I think.

I love Primary and I love Park Ji Yoon but I didn't necessarily want them to work together. Song isn't bad but her last album she wrote or co-wrote most songs herself and it was slowcore sad-a-thon heaven http://youtu.be/Jw077fxesZs , http://youtu.be/ufw148Ko2kQ - Wanted her to get chart toppers with that, some personality perhaps lost in meeting with strong Primary signature, but I'm still all about her coming back to mainstream recognition in general and won't complain too much. Think we shouldn't underestimate the PR power of likeable label boss/artist Yoon Jong Shin who also launched Lim Kim to great success this year.

I'm all about Trouble Maker coming back to tickle netizens and the general public. Like the song. There's someting charming about the odd chemistry between Hyuna and Hyungseung. Also finally some french kissing after the fake teasing last time.

The TroubleMaker mini is good, guys.

(here)

U-Kiss - Lights Out: http://youtu.be/oTw4ls6HnLw

One of those Brave Brothers tracks you suspect was churned out in half a day, but as a Brave Brothers fan I'm always up for this, haha.

And speaking of U-Kiss, here's labelmate Lim Chang Jung's MV about having manners:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLPLgJqeZJw

new Fiestar MV is cute. song's sort of forgettable, though, despite the chorus literally being bitten from something with a Roud Folk Song Index number

Brave Brothers hackjobs are the very best. His story is quite interesting, as well.

EXID not departed or gone! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN3NoK50AWY

What's the secret to having the url only show as a link?

Use the short youtube link from thw "share video" page (looks like youtu.be) instead of the full one.

EXID! Also happy to meet another Brave Brothers hackjob fan.

Batten the hatches, this year's Infinity Challenge compilation CD is out.

1. Most of these are pretty good!
2. I had never watched Infinity Challenge before, but the making-of episodes for this year's music festival were really hilarious - recommended!

lol

http://31.media.tumblr.com/5f79aa61135cdacbc3d0ddadfeab9902/tumblr_mvpwp6GyRk1sewbc1o1_500.jpg

I'm still jamming to pink tape! Also love the last Hyuna song on the Troublemaker mini. Anything that sounds like Blackout era britney is my kryptonite.

Popjustice users' 2012 k-pop chart http://youtu.be/4p_uccueTlE

What I'm getting from this is that 2012 was Sweetune's Year (and Popjustice thinks girl groups >>> boy groups).

But I don't disagree with it, though, XD.

My list would have also included Brave Girls (Nowadays You), Chocolat (One More Day), Shinhwa (Venus), Xia Junsu (Talentalegra), Block B (Nalili Mambo), JJ Project (Bounce), Secret (Talk That), Crazyno (Musiche), Crispi Crunch (Menboong Time), Dalshabet (Have Not Have), Teen Top (Be My Girl), BEAST (Midnight), more T-ara (Sexy Love, Lovey Dovey), more ZE:A (Love is Gone, Aftermath), and Boyfriend (Love Style).

new miss A is out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp0F18FFCTE

(also girl groups >>> boy groups)