Khalil Fong - Dangerous World Album Review

Khalil is back again after 2012's "Back to Wonderland" with "Dangerous World", a collection of jazz and R&B soul. The album contains both upbeat songs and slower ones, giving almost every listener something they will like. However, it is the upbeat songs on "Dangerous World" that makes the album memorable.

Niki: On a sillier note, his introduction track, "Welcome", left a very scarring impression on me. I first listened to this album out of order, so before the track came on I had been listening to a slow ballad and was feeling just a little bit sleepy. I lost interest for a minute and failed to notice that the track had ended and the next thing I heard was a deep demonic-like voice saying "Huan yin ni", freaking me out.

Iris: The album officially opens with lead single and title track "Dangerous World/危險世界" , a grand and cinematic-like single unlike anything he has released before and unlike anything you hear in C-Pop normally. It is an infectious and unique song you can't help but start moving to. The instrumental breakdown with the beats is fun and sounds particularly good with headphones or loud speakers, but runs about 2 minutes long.

Niki: This song is definitely a worthy title track, despite it's lengthy instrumental ending. Khalil's ability to create a mini-movie within a song with the infusion of different music genres and vocal techniques speaks to his creativity as an artist. It also displays how much he's grown over the last 10 years.

Niki: "Peace" is a funky R&B track that will get your head-bobbing. The collaboration with Tia Ray adds a new level of dynamic to the song. Although, it suffers the same weakness of being longer than necessary and becoming repetitive.

Iris: You can easily tell Khalil had a grand 'ol time recording "Peace" through the enthusiasm and energy he shows through his rapping. I'm pleased to be seeing Khalil making use of his rapping skills.

Iris: "Xiao Fong/小方" is easily my favorite song off the whole album and showcases Khalil's musical strengths such as smooth vocals, soulful style, and slick rapping skills. The whole song is catchy and unlike many of the other songs on the album, does not suffer from being too long.

Niki: Like Iris this song is easily my favorite song in the album. It's sleek, funky, and a complete representation of who Khalil is as an artist. What I like most about this song is the straightforward yet heartfelt lyrics and the fact that it differs from other artist's typical "thank you" songs (which are usually ballads or pop tracks). It's a track that is uniquely Khalil.

Iris: "Black White and Grey/黑白灰 " is another funky upbeat song that is uniquely Khalil while serving as his homage to his musical inspirations. The mix of jazz and R&B creates a very catchy product and the MV is memorable for being the first we saw Khalil dance in.

Niki: This song is a prime example of Khalil's ability to incorporate two different musical genre into something that's both amazing and unique. Every time I listen to this song I envision a chase sequence in a classic comedy and it invokes the same emotion of amusement. Needless to say Khalil's dance sequence in the mv was the highlight of my day when I first saw it.

Iris: "Love Blossoms/桃花運" and "Special Person/ 特別的人" both fail to stand out, and I find the former very boring and too slow. Is it relaxing? Yes, but more in a way that makes me want to fall asleep. "Special Person" fares better but still isn't a very interesting ballad.

Niki: "Love Blossoms" doesn't contain any hook to capture the listeners attention. Furthermore it sounds like Khalil's voice was muted by the music, since the music was very soft and consistent it easily makes a person feel sleepy. I liked "Special Person" a lot more than "Love Blossoms". In "Special Person" you can hear Khalil's voice better and there's a lot more flexibility in it. It also sounds like he's trying to tell a story through song, which makes it a lot more interesting to me. However, both ballads still fall short from his upbeat songs.

Iris: "Mr. Weather/天氣先生" possesses a tempo that is neither too slow or too upbeat, which is more similar to his past works. However, though an interesting blend of Mandarin and English, it fails to set itself apart from Khalil's older songs and can become quite repetitive.

Niki: Although it may not be Khalil's most outstanding work, it's still one of the better mid-tempo songs in the album, in my opinion. It possesses a simple but catchy melody that I find myself humming to from time to time and is calming without leaving me sleepy or bored.

Iris: After a short instrumental comes "Autumn Leaves/楓葉做的風鈴", a relaxing and mellow R&B song that is very Khalil-like composition. It has a serene and romantic feel so while it is not incredibly memorable, it is a smooth and enjoyable listen, and one of the better slow songs on "Dangerous World."

Niki: "Autumn Leaves" is the one ballad in this album that I like. It's soft and relaxing without boring me because there's more variety in the notes and fluctuations in the melody, unlike the other ballads.Listening to this song makes me envision a 1950s romantic movie which makes me feel happy inside.

Iris: "Paris/巴黎 " is initially catchy but quickly gets old, stretching over 4 minutes long. It would've worked better as a 2 and a half minute track. In terms of composition, this is definitely one of Khalil's weakest, as there is very little if any variety in notes and very repetitive. Things pick up though and we flow to the upbeat and fun "No Love", featuring Miss Ko. It is one of the more dynamic non-singles of the album and worth repeated listens.

Niki: After the "No Love/ 愛不來 Feat. Miss Ko葛仲珊 " we have Zombie, another pleasant surprise. The song has a very distinctive beat that matches the songs peculiar title and theme. Through the changes in tempo and fluctuations in notes within the song Khalil was able to paint a rather dynamic scenario in my head, making it all the more fun to listen to. He includes another surprise at the end of the song with the addition of an electric guitar infusing a rock element into the song, finishing it strong. This song may be one of the most dynamic and creative song of his in this album. The only shame is that it is not one of the title tracks. I would love to see the mv that would match this song.

Iris: "Zombie/僵屍 " is my favorite song after "Xiao Fong", but was unfortunately never released as a single. It is so dynamic and infectious it has a cinematic feel and Khalil at his creative best. I also love how when the song starts to fade out it tricks the listener into thinking it has ended, when it hasn't. The mix of R&B and rock elements was phenomenal.

The album closes with "Lights Up" ,another 4 minute song that would have benefitted from a cut. It is catchy and fun, but quickly becomes too repetitive. Two choruses could easily have been edited out. Nevertheless, it is still an enjoyable and feel-good track.

Conclusion: Khalil's album "Dangerous World" leaves us with some mixed feelings. While some tracks showcase his creativity and strength as a composer and artist, others sound strikingly similar to his past works and fails to leave any lasting impression. The album could also use some reorganizing as most of the slower songs are clumped together in the middle of the album making it seem draggy at times, especially after listening to a chain of up-beat songs in the beginning. However, while there were definitely some low points, songs like "Zombie", "Black, White, and Grey", and "Dangerous World" definitely make up for the disappointment by displaying Khalil's abilities at their best.

Album Review: Fiona Sit's "Tenacious"

After ten years in the music industry, Fiona Sit ended 2013 with a bang with her eleventh studio album "Tenacious," her best work yet and a cohesive representation of her maturation into a dominating HK pop princess.

The album opens with "Contagious," which makes use of club beats and dub step influences, which results in an infectious and catchy dance song. Fiona's vocal delivery is cheeky and fun and not ruined by excessive uses of auto tune like Cantopop dance songs typically like to do. It is definitely one of the better dance songs I have heard and a great way to start the album.

"Weekend Pictorial/周末畫報" is one of the best songs of 2013, and easily the best upbeat one. Cantopop songs usually tend to be slow ballads, auto tune doused club songs, or mid tempo, but "Weeknd Pictorial" is simply a fun, catchy, and refreshing pop song that will have you bobbing your head and snapping your fingers to the beat. It is genuinely a fresh breath of air.

"Tenacious" then takes a slower turn with "Zhu Ge Liang/諸葛亮." The song possesses a very romantic yet sorrowful feel, established by Fiona's gentle and emotion-filled vocals. What sets the single apart though is its lovely musical composition, which has a slight blues influence that perfectly brings out the bittersweetness of the lyrics and vocals.

"A Little Clingy/小小癡纏" brings out the youthful and effortlessly cute side of Fiona and is honestly just a sweet, simple, and good hearted song that makes you smile without being too cheesy.

Things become more laid back with the airy "Art Waits/等待的藝術." It is not one of the album's stand outs, but nevertheless an enjoyable track.

"I Say Goodbye/告別我", composed by Fiona's close friend and musical talent Khalil Fong, is a beautiful ballad reminiscent of 90s Cantopop. The composition of the song is simply gorgeous and everything blends together perfectly, which should come as no surprise given the person behind it. Fiona's vocals shine here with her heartfelt yet slightly restrained delivery. The song truly shows Fiona's maturation and sophistication, and the MV is tasteful.

The album makes a miss with "F.Night", which is made tacky with Fiona's narration through out the song. The song seems to try to be a little mysterious and dream-like, but the effort for the most part falls short.

Meanwhile, the hidden gem on the album is Mandarin track "Recovery/復原", which did not do as well on charts as the other singles. Fiona wrote the lyrics for the song following the death of her beloved cat, who helped her get through her previous depression. I have mixed feelings for the English introduction, which gives off the impression that the song's tone is very dramatic and solemn when it is light and bittersweet, but the rest is in a word, lovely. Mandarin was very appropriate for the song. The light R&B beats and her vocals matched together beautifully with the melody. She looks absolutely gorgeous in the MV, which makes use of simplistic but artsy shots and dark lighting.

The album closes with "Palace Ruo Mei/宮若梅," a song dedicated to the character Gong Er in the film "The Grandmaster." The song boosts a much more powerful feel with an obvious rock influence. While Fiona delivers much of the album in a gentle and restrained register, she allows herself to belt more here without losing control of her vocals, as if to say she is finally letting loose, which is a very appropriate way to end the album.

Overall, "Tenacious" finds a balance between two sounds and images: the youthful, bubbly, and endearing Fiona and the matured, sophisticated, and more artistic Fiona in the slower songs and ballads.  All the singles released from the album are wonderfully produced and sung, and the only weakness on it is "F.Night." After vastly improving her vocals and music sound in 2012, Fiona successfully finished 2013 as a force to be reckoned with and the new HK pop princess.

Regardless of if you are a fan of Fiona, you have to acknowledge the very far way she has come since her debut and the consistency in the music she has released in the last 2 years. Do give "Tenacious" a listen, even if it is just for the singles, whether you are a Fiona fan or want a reminder that there is still good music being put out in Hong Kong.

Album Review: Kelvin Kwan's "Breakout"

Kelvin Kwan's star continues to shine with "Breakout", his latest and best album yet.

The singer has matured significantly over the years and found the different musical styles that fit him, and "Breakout" shows this. The 8-song album provides a mix of the angst-ridden pop rock Kelvin successfully experimented with in "Occupation", emotion-filled mid tempo numbers, and slower, sweeter songs. Kelvin shows great range in his voice and musical style without including a traditional slow ballad already so often seen in Cantopop.

A closer look...

"Breakout" opens with "手刃情人/Busting My Lover", which bears a similar feel to "People of My Generation" musically wise, but speaks of pain towards a lover. Kelvin's voice and emotions are very raw here and present a different level of intensity than his previous songs.

My personal favorite from the album though is easily second track "你永遠是對的/You Are Forever Right." The mid tempo and melancholic song shows off Kelvin's range and emotion along with a great and moving musical composition. The MV elevates the power and message of the song, but suffers a setback due to Chrissie Chau's mediocre acting.

"一體兩面/Integrated Both Sides" has a slight space-like trance from its beats and arrangement. Although slower than the other songs on the album, it boosts a very serene vibe with a hint of mystery.

"孱弱/Fragile" is a song that takes what Kelvin experimented with from "Occupation" and "People of My Generation" and makes it even better. The song starts off slow with a gentle sadness before going into an angst-ridden and emotional number. This is arguably his best single to date. A more in-depth song review can be found here.

Kelvin once again goes rock with "偉大領袖/The Great Leader", only this time sheds the excessive angst for an upbeat and catchier tune.

"隻字不提/Not Mentioning a Word" is the only song that comes closed to being a ballad on the album, but also one of the less impressive. The arrangement is still very nice and Kelvin never fails to show his range in slow songs like this.

Coming in as another personal favorite of mine is "空氣公園/Air Park," a sweet, relaxing and dreamy song. Kelvin's vocals sound very warm here, putting a smile on your face. It has a very strong calming effect with its thoughtful feel.

The album closes with "舊好/The Old Good," another slower track with a very relaxing and serene vibe. It is an uplifting song with a lovely orchestral and band arrangement, which serves as a nice and sweet way to end the album.

Overall, the album shows great strides in Kelvin Kwan as an artist. "Breakout" reaffirms my confidence in Kelvin as a mainstay in today's Cantopop industry, which is in need of someone with edge and a flair for experimentation like him. He has surpassed everyone's previous low expectations of him as little more than a washed up idol and blown everyone out of the water with his genuine talent. "Breakout" is his most mature and best work yet as well as one of the most consistent and enjoyable albums of the year. I know I will continue to be impressed by him.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Album Review: Mr.'s "New Beginning"

Released in the first week of 2013, Cantorock band Mr. makes a strong and rocking entrance into the new year with "New Beginning". Overall, it's an enjoyable listen with their signature rock sound coupled with new and different elements.

"第五類接觸/Fifth Kind", used as the opening song for their New Beginning Live concert, is an upbeat song that gets you pumped and moving. There's a lot of energy in it and gets you psyched, making you want to hear more.

"走一走/Walk" is another energetic song that will get you moving. The beat of the song will have your head bobbing to the music. The instruments get to have a lot more creativity and fun here.

What is most surprising and fresh about the album though is "Dance Floor". I never would've expected Mr. to release a dance song. It does a fantastic job of blending the musical instruments with dance and synthetic beats. The rock sound is retained but there is also a club vibe to it. The feel of the song is very mysterious and alluring, especially when Alan sings "With me tonight, with me tonight...". "Dance Floor" is incredibly catchy, slick, and infectious. It's not something I saw coming from Mr., and I'm very impressed.

"方向感/Sense of Direction" is a mid tempo song with a relaxed but uplifting tone, and one of my favorite singles from them yet. A more in depth review can be found here.

"舊日理想/The Old Ideal" is a good contrast to the rest of the album. The music and lyrics are filled with angst and raw emotion, a heavier than usual sound for them that fits. I love blasting this when feeling down or angry.

"What R We Fighting 4" is one of Mr.'s weaker singles. It's catchy and promoting a positive message, but musically it's repetitive and too simple. It's still a fun and upbeat listen, but a step backwards in terms of a maturing music style and wasn't the best song to promote as the lead single. Nevertheless, it makes a good anthem to fight for what you believe in.

The album ends on a thoughtful note with "一首情歌/One Love Song". Mr. goes acoustic here, a refreshing break from their upbeat and "louder" material. It's nice to see a softer and gentler side to them. The sound is very romantic, dreamy, sweet, and soothing. You won't be able to keep from smiling when listening to it.

"New Beginning" is a fantastic EP from Mr. that shows maturation in their musical style. There is more variety here than in their previous works as well as distinction between each track. Each song is worth listening to and repeating again. Although they keep with their band sound, they bring several twists to their music this time around for some freshness, and it works. It's the start of another very promising and successful year for Mr.!

Rating: 4.25 stars

Raymond Lam's "Self-Portrait" Album Review

Since debuting in the music industry five years ago, Raymond Lam slowly traveled off the path of being an actual artist and instead became an idol. However, Raymond shows redemption with the more mature yet diverse "Self-Portrait".

In past albums, Raymond's albums have been heavy with ballads and upbeat dance songs. Although ballads showed his voice and range nicely, it started to become boring and gave off the feeling that he had a "sleepy" voice. I wanted something different. His upbeat songs such as "Chok" and "Hello" lacked substance and were even somewhat laughable for their lyrics and composition and didn't fit him.  Rest assured, "Self-Portrait" is one big step in a positive direction.

Every song on the album is a bit different and there are many different feels and styles exhibited here.

The main plugs "頑石/Stubborn Stone" and "Because of You" are the closest the album has to ballads, but aren't quite ballads, which is a nice change. Instead, they simply have a slower tempo but carry a lighter and more serene feel.

"頑石/Stubborn Stone" possesses a beautiful sound from an orchestra and band in the background and the subtle yet obvious hint of sadness and pain in the lyrics are brought out by Raymond's signature emotion-filled voice.  The Mandarin version is also nice, but as usual, the original is better and flows more.

"Because of You" has a similar musical composition and feel but with a contrasting tone. It is sweet, calming, and sounds very romantic. Both are definitely highlights of the album, but far from the only noteworthy tracks.

The videos for both were splendidly shot.  It was nice for EEG to invest more money for Raymond to travel to New York to film the music videos.  "Stubborn Stone" was shot in the city, while "Because of You" is shot by a serene dock.  Both looked simplistic yet visually beautiful with the location filming and soft lighting.

"寂寞星球/Lonely Planet" is another stand out with its mysterious aura and subtle old Chinese influence. The song leaves you feeling intrigued and even slightly spooked from the mesmerizing melody. This is unlike any other song he's ever released.

"年時/Years" and "暗中作樂/Concert in the Dark" are also enjoyable tracks. "Years" carries a lovely melody and tempo that gives off a very soothing and thoughtful feel. "Concert in the Dark" is a more upbeat but playful song. "膠椅/Plastic Chairs" is another upbeat and playful song but has a slightly funky feel that's fun, but not fantastic.

"一刀切/One Size Fits All" plays like a song for a movie soundtrack with its suspenseful and strangely thematic feel. An interesting and dynamic song.

With my history of not liking dance tracks, at first listen, LFX 6.8 was not music to my ears, and the excessive auto tune did not help. However, as I listened to it more, it grew on me. It's catchy and has a great infectious beat. The hip hop influence is there but not over the top.

Aside from the main singles, "The One" and "I'm Okay" are my personal favorites off this great album.

"The One" is infused with a R&B feel, which is very refreshing and fitting with Raymond's voice. The song also has a slight mysterious yet romantic vibe to it that makes it so pleasing to the ears.

On the other hand, "I'm Okay" is an endearing and sweet song with an airy feel.  It's a fun track you can easily sing along to.  The female voice over near the end of the song rendered it more cheesy than necessary, but doesn't ruin the overall effect.  The music video co-starring Oceane Zhu is also very cute and smile inducing.

Overall

As an idol singer that has been sweeping up awards more because of the lack of singers and disagreements between record companies than his music itself, perhaps it's become easy to forget Raymond genuinely is talented.  He has good range, singing low as well as high notes with ease, and of course, the charisma and stage presence.  His recent material made him lose credibility in my eyes, but "Self-Portrait" comes as a true and pleasant surprise.  It is his album of redemption.  Here, he shows he has the versatility to sing different styles and types of music and has the potential to become known as an artist, not just an idol.

All of the songs here are worth listening to and able to set themselves apart instead of blurring together, something a lot of Cantonese albums can not do. Instead of having songs residing at polar opposites of the spectrum (slow ballads and upbeat dance songs), the album explores the things in between. Raymond Lam may have taken a few steps backward in the last few years, but with "Self-Portrait", he takes a huge step forward, and it's definitely worth nothing.  He is someone to start taking more seriously.

"Self-Portrait" is one of the best albums of the year and has quickly become one of my favorites.  Raymond's always had the talent, and for the first time in a while, he is able to show it.  Hopefully, he will continue in this direction.

Rating: 4.25 stars

Miss A's "Independent Women Pt. III" Album Review

After the success of "Touch" earlier this year, the girls of Miss A are back with a new concept and image while still staying true to their style and selves.  This comeback has offered them the opportunity to expand on their strengths, making them better than ever.

"Independent Woman III" is a homage to the R&B girl groups of the late 90s to early 2000s, specifically Destiny's Child.  As a result, the album is influenced with light R&B elements, allowing the girls to display their voices.  While the choice to pinpoint Destiny's Child as the inspiration was not necessary, there was definitely no better girl group than Miss A to pull off the feminine yet strong, independent, and empowering image.

A more in depth look...

The album opens with the first plug "I Don't Need a Man", an upbeat song tinged with hip hop about how women can be independent and lead their own lives happily without a man.  The song is phenomenal with its positive message and lyrics and fun sound.  The lyrics don't just promote feminism and boast about how women don't need a man.  They're saying they're capable of driving themselves in life while being perfectly happy, and don't need to lean on their families for financial support either.  The song is very catchy, especially the chorus.  Min can also be heard rapping along with Jia too!  She once said in an interview that she can not rap, but it looks like she's proved herself wrong. It's nice to see Jia getting the opportunity to sing instead of judt rap more, and her distinctive voice fit the energy of the song well. As always, Fei sounded great, but underused.

The MV is K-Pop music videos at its visual best: fun and colorful, but not too over the top or random and doesn't take away from the song. All the girls looked amazing. Their outfits during the dance sequences were simple but stylish, and the styles each girl had for the MV were very fitting. The choreography doesn't look advanced but still a lot of fun, and the girls executed it well with a lot of energy and personality. "I Don't Need a Man" is arguably their best single yet.

The next track "Ma Style" combines light hip hop with R&B. The beat and music of the song is unique and fun. The song sounds sweet yet slightly funky. An upbeat and catchy song that sounds a bit different from the usual K-Pop.

After is "If I Were a Boy", which Miss A have been performing as the opening song in their music stages. It is a midtempo and soulful song with a melancholic feel that shows the girl's lovely and strong vocals. This is definitely a highlight of the album. However, it would've been better to name the song "If I'm Over You" to avoid further comparisons with Beyonce.

"Madness" featuring Taecyeon of 2PM can be said to be the ballad of the album and also has the heaviest R&B influence. Going along with the album's concept, Miss A sounds most like a soul girl group here. The song has a smooth, serene, yet mysterious feel that makes it such a pleasure to listen to. Out of all the songs, this shows the girl's voices most. They all sound so smooth and soulful. Fei also gets the rare opportunity to let her voice shine here and steals the show.

The closing track is "Time's Up". The song is an electropop dance song that's very infectious and catchy. It is the only song with no R&B or hip hop influence and is a very upbeat dance song coming after two slower soulful songs in a row. As a result, it does sound a bit out of place, but doesn't ruin the consistency of the album too much and closes the album on a high and fun note.

Overall

Miss A continues to be the most consistent girl group, having tried different styles and images but consistently releasing good material while remaining the feminine yet strong and independent girls they are.  They aren't forced to be overly girly or more mature than they are.  Their sound is always fresh, fun, and polished.  With their empowering image, they are definitely going far and will emerge on top.  "Independent Women Pt. III" is a homage to past girl groups, but they still make the material their own while pulling off the concept seamlessly.  Each song is superb and a great listen.  This is their best work yet.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Younha's "Supersonic" Album Review

After a long lawsuit dispute with her former record label, Younha, one of Korea's most underrated and talented young musicians, is finally makes a comeback with a new full length album. The pop rock princess shows she's back and better than ever in "Supersonic", which includes some of her best work yet.

A more in depth look...

"Supersonic" is consistent and stays true to the sound and style of Younha that her fans know and love. Her rock influence is more evident and expanded on here, and it sounds like she's matured and grown into an even better musician. Each song carries her signature pop rock influence, but sets itself apart and has a different feel.

The album opens with the title track "Supersonic", probably the most heavy rock song on the album. From the first track, I was already hooked with the edgy electric guitar riffs and her strong vocals. "Supersonic" is a great pop rock song that boosts a hint of angst that had me captivated.

The album then transitions to "People", which possesses a completely different tone. It's laid back, playful, and even a bit teasing in its delivery and execution, especially when Younha sings "I don't know you".

"Rock Like Stars", featuring rapper Tiger JK, is a rock song with a funky twist. I love how Younha seems to give off attitude through her vocal delivery. A very fun track, and she definitely succeeds in "rocking like a star"!

Next comes the album's lead single "Run", probably my new favorite song by her. "Run" is an upbeat pop song that is uplifting, empowering, and beautiful. Younha simply sounds amazing and the song is not only phenomenal, but so is her vocal delivery. Not only does she show off so much range here, but her vocals along with the music literally give me goosebumps whenever I listen to the song! "Run" is such a powerful and exceedingly gorgeous song, and makes me so proud of Younha. This was her official comeback single, and she just seemed to pour her heart into it with every ounce of passion and love for music inside her.

"No Limit" is a fun and upbeat light pop rock song with a sweeter and thoughtful tone. The feel and sound of the song reminds me of a more mature version of her song "Gossip Boy".

"It Showers" is the first slow song on the album, a touching ballad with Younha's beautiful and moving vocals. The song itself is decent, but her emotion filled vocals pushes it to perfection. Her strong voice is powerful, capable, yet pleasing to the ears instead of grating.

The album continues its slower atmosphere with "Set Me Free". The song is full of intrigue. Though the chorus only consists of her singing "Set Me Free", the way she sings it coupled with the musical composition makes it chilling and empowering.

After "Set Me Free", the album continues the playful and sweet "Cream Source Pasta", which has a midtempo to faster tempo.

Things settle down again with "Wait for Me", which is more calming and serene song that seems to be tinted with slight sadness and melancholy.

Aside from "Run", "Drive" is the album's biggest potential hits. Featuring rapper and singer Jay Park, "Drive" is catchy and radio friendly, but also composed well and meaningful. The sound is dynamic without being too busy by intertwining the song's pop sounds, piano, Jay's rap lines, and Younha's vocals together nicely. I love Younha's line "I'm gonna take control of my life". One of my favorites from the album, and I hope she promotes Drive" to be one of the album's singles.

The album closes beautifully and gently with "Hope", which is dominated by acoustic guitars instead of the electric guitars and drums dominated in the rest of the album's tracks. It is a very sweet and peaceful sounding song, with it's lighter vibe, and even gives off a feeling of hope and thoughtfulness. "Hope" is a gorgeous song. What a perfect way to end the album!

Highlights: Every song on the album is spectacular, but my personal favorites are the lead single "Run", "Supersonic", "Drive", and "Hope".

Overall

There is no dull or bad song on this album. Each song sets itself apart. "Supersonic" is a thoroughly fantastic album and is Younha at her best, both vocally and musically.  Here, she sounds grown up yet fresh. She has never sounded so empowering and amazing! There is so much substance and feeling in her voice and music. No other comeback has felt so deserving and strong this year. This is the best album I've heard all year. From the angst tinted rock songs, to the playful pop rock songs, to the stunning ballads, to the sweet and thoughtful ones, "Supersonic" offers a little of everything, showing Younha's versatility and talent as an artist. Besides that, it's just such a great listen and phenomenal album, from it's artist, musical composition and production, the fresh sound, to the overall wonderful execution. The album is a call out to people that Younha is back, and she's here to stay. "Supersonic" is a must listen of the year, whether you're a fan of Younha, pop rock, or just great music in general.

Rating: 5 stars

Album Review: SISTAR's "Alone" EP

SISTAR's latest EP "Alone" continues on from the sleek and classy vibe of the title single, resulting in a consistent yet enjoyable album listen.

The EP opens with "Come Closer". This short intro is just a minute long, but sets the tone for the rest of the album very well. It does its job: it intrigues you and makes you want to hear more. A very stylish and slightly mysterious minute of musical glory.

Next comes title single "Alone", which you can read into detail about here. In brief, it is sleek, classy, and exhibits great musical production and distinction.

From there, the album continues a style similar and consistent from "Alone", but the girls feel more warm and friendly, as opposed to the sexy aloofness of the title track.

"No Mercy" is a catchy club track with great beats. It's not outstanding, but a lot of fun and makes you want to get up and dance. However, I'd say it's the least memorable song on the album.

After is "Lead Me", probably the sleekest and best produced song on the album. The sound is just so smooth and pleasant! The girls sound mature yet sweet and endearing. The raps are intertwined nicely into the song as opposed to sticking out. Definitely the shining star of the album.

"Girls on Top" isn't a fantastic track, but one I am particularly fond of. I simply love the empowering feel, especially during the chorus. It yells "Girl power!" without being too in your face. Instead, it's just a fun, upbeat, and slightly empowering song.

The already strong album closes with "I Choose to Love You", a solo song sung by the lovely lead singer Hyorin. The song is so sweet and pretty, and shows Hyorin vocals and charm. Her sweet vocals create a romantic feel for the song.

With this EP, SISTAR gives off the misconception they've been around longer than they've really been with their mature, sleek, yet fun sound. They prove they have what it takes to rise above the rest. Their style is familiar, yet creative and distinctive. The songs create great consistency, but are all still unique in their own way. There is no particular "bad" track of the album, and it all flows well from the intriguing intro to the closing track solo. SISTAR, well done, ladies!

Rating: 4 Stars

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Author's Note: This review comes late, I apologize (is this all Niki and I wrote in the author's note now?). One of my loyal readers and friends Krystal had recommended it to me shortly after it came out, and I didn't get to listen to it until a month later. Surely enough though, I loved this EP. Looks like I finally have another girl group besides Miss A that I like!

G.NA's "BLOOM" Album Review

Debuting as a talented female soloist with stunning vocal ability with the powerful "I'll Back Off So You Can Live Better", G.NA found herself losing her original musical direction as time went on. With the release of "Top Girl, her music started lacking more and more substance. It seemed that after just a short time, the beautiful and talented girl was being manufactured by Cube Entertainment into something she wasn't, some pop princess. After taking a break from her music career, G.NA is back with her EP "Bloom".

How does "Bloom" fare? Does it return her to her roots or propel her further in the direction of creative control doom? Oddly enough, it does both. Of the 6 tracks on the album, some show the manufactured pop princess G.NA, and some show the soulful G.NA we first got to know.

The album opens with "Green Light", featuring Jay Park. It's obvious club feel makes it too intense and busy. Put humorously, it's like how a dance club would like if if you were high on some heavy drugs. It's still a very upbeat and fun dance track, but there's so much going on in its musical production it feels like a musical seizure.

"2Hot", the album's lead single, marks G.NA's worst single and lowest point yet. It's like a blown up version of "Top Girl", only instead of being girly and a wee bit full of itself, "2Hot" comes off as plain conceited. Do I mind if G.NA does upbeat and playful songs? Of course not, "Black & White" is one of my favorite songs of hers. However, "2Hot" has absolutely no substance and sounds vain. The music video is laughably bad. It looks like she escaped into Barbie's dream land. And firefighters coming in with axes, really? The song and MV shows no class. Instead of being sexy and mature, the song, along with the dance routine, is raunchy, tasteless, and ridiculous. G.NA herself is not tacky or cheap, but everything about this single is.

After the not so hot mess of "2Hot" comes "Summer Star", which is the redeeming and best track of the album. It is a mellow and soothing song that fully showcases G.NA's beautiful and soulful voice and range. This is the first time in a while she has gotten to do that. I love the gentle acoustic guitar strings that open and close the song, and everything flows quite well.

"Oppa Dasseng", featuring Sangchu, opens on a cheesy note with a phone conversation, but isn't bad. The beat is nice and blends well with the piano in the background. It's not a great song, but still cute and sweet.  It boosts a carefree and airy atmosphere that is easy on the ears. Her voice here is very sweet and thoughtful sounding.

"Drop It (Cut It Off)" is another strong track on the album. With a heavy R&B beat and influence, it shows G.NA's soulful vocals in a lighter and more gentle way.  It shows emotion with a more laid back feel.

"Bloom" closes with the English version of the powerhouse song "I'll Back Off So You Can Live Better". The English lyrics flow well with minimal awkwardness and instances of loss in translation, making it one of the better, if not the best, English remakes. Although it's odd how the English lyrics flow into the original Korean rap, I'm glad they left that part untouched to avoid a potential and likely disaster of a translation.

Overall, G.NA's album "Bloom" has contrasting styles: the original soulful songstress and the manufactured pop princess. It's content resides at opposite ends, as it includes some of her best work yet, as well as her worst. Although its lead single is disastrous, it's the only song here that's actually bad. "Bloom" is still worth a listen. If you can get past the fun but slightly headache inducing "Green Light" and the dreadful "2Hot", you will see that the G.NA we know and love is still there.  However, if it's one thing "Bloom" fails to do, it's prove how she's "blossomed" into a grown woman as a musician.  And for an album with such a title, shouldn't that be its purpose?

Recommended Tracks: "Summer Star", "Drop It (Cut It Off)", "I'll Back Off So You Can Live Better" (English Version)

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Big Bang - "Alive" Album Review

After a year of scandals, lawsuits, and solo works Big Bang is finally back as a group with a brand new start and EP. "Alive" has a variety of styles that all come together and describe the styles of Big Bang. Most of the songs are upbeat with R&B, hip hop, and slight rock influences. The majority of the album lyrics were co-composed by Big Bang's leader G-Dragon and rapper T.O.P. The lyrics of the songs are mostly about the commonly used theme, love. However, the beats and melodies of the songs make them refreshing and gives off the unique style of Big Bang.

Songs:

Alive - This short intro to the extended play was co-written by G-Dragon, T.O.P., and Teddy Park. The lyrics to this intro is both uplifting and meaningful. Even though it's barely a minute long, it contains more meaning and captures me more than the other songs in this EP. The execution was nice and simple with a steady beat in the background and nice harmonies.

Blue - Blue is Big Bang's title track for this comeback and it's a mid-tempo pop track. Blue is about a past love that was lost and carries a nostalgic feel. The melody is smooth and gentle making it relaxing and easy to listen to. Coupled with catchy lyrics and strong vocals it's one of the best songs in this EP and my personal favorite. The MV consist mostly of headshots of the members, but also included a vague storyline. The members are seen roaming the city in the shadow of this girl. Each member seemed to have a different connection with her. Sparking the idea that she is an image from their past, either their lover or common image of something they had loved. I appreciated the simplicity of the MV, it captured the mood of the song very well.



Fantastic Baby - This song is a fun and upbeat song with a strong club vibe. The lyrics are full of self confidence, empowerment, as well as letting go and having fun. Fantastic Baby successfully shows off Big Bang's confidence and unique style. The MV is fun, quirky and I personally like the different characterization of each of the members.



Bad Boy - Bad Boy has a hip hop/ RnB style to it. This song brings me back to Big Bang's debut days with the grungy street look and simpleness of the song. The lyrics are simply about a guy (or Big Bang) apologizing to a girl for treating her badly. The MV shows the guys walking down the streets of New York courting girls, only to be rejected. I thought that this MV didn't quite fit with the song. Though it gave the song a light and fun feel, the lyrics and scenes in the MV really don't match. The scenes where the members casually try to pick up the girls were, to me, a bit awkward, especially doing so after their dance sequence. However, I really liked the free flow dance routine.



Ain't No Fun - This is another fun club song in the Alive EP. It has a lighter beat than Fantastic Baby, but is still upbeat. The members of Big Bang (especially Taeyang) showed off their wonderful charisma in the live performance.



Love Dust - Love Dust is a light pop track. It has a bit too much autotune for my comfort, but the song is sweet.




Wings (Daesung's Solo) - In this solo song Daesung gets to show off his powerful vocals. At first I expected this song to be a ballad, but it turned out to be a pretty fast paced song. I love how the song switches sounds throughout the song, keeping it refreshing. It first starts out with a soft orchestra coupled with a pop beat, then switches into rock n roll guitar solo.  The arrangements for this song was perhaps the best and most refreshing in the EP.



Conclusion 

Big Bang's new "Alive" is a recommendable EP. It packs the style of all members into each song, making everyone of them unique. After knowing Big Bang for a couple of years, my liking for them had gradually lessened. It seemed that these past year or so Big Bang had turned into another overly hyped boy band in the Hallyu Wave. However, after listening to this EP, my interest in them has been renewed. What's more is knowing that G-Dragon and T.O.P. were involved in "Alive" made me develop a new found respect for the both of them. Overall, "Alive" is a great new beginning for Big Bang with new styles mixed in with their old charms.

Kelvin Kwan - "Occupation" New + Best Selection Album Review

Kelvin Kwan returns with six new songs on his first "new and best selection" album, his first release after 2010's comeback "Here I Am". These six songs aren't only all solid and great listens, but represents Kelvin's maturation into a true artist with creativity, direction, and experimental nature.

A more in-depth look...

The album opens with "Occupation/佔領", featuring rapper MastaMic. To sum it up, "Occupation" is a fantastic track that combines hard rock and rap. The theme is refreshing, as it is the first time Kelvin has dealt with political themes in his music (in this case, last year's Occupy Wall Street). It is a song with meaning as well as musical style.  Read my more detailed song review for it here.

"People of My Generation/我這一代人" stays consistent with the hard rock driven sound and political theme of "Occupation". However, the feel is very different. It boosts a whole new level of intensity. His vocals and the music are very powerful and full of angst. It ends with a slow piano closing filled with sadness. This amount of angst is something I rarely see in mainstream Cantonese music, making it an outstanding song. Listening to it makes me feel full of conflicted emotion. It is such a raw song that gives me chills.

The (unofficial) music video is simple yet so powerful, and it was a pleasant surprise to see that Kelvin directed it himself. It is great to see he is getting so involved in his music!

"Don't Hide/別再躲" takes a much more relaxed feel and tone. However, it is yet another powerful and memorable song. It starts off with a laid back feel with just Kelvin's vocals and the simple strumming of an acoustic guitar. Gradually, it works up and becomes a great blend of electric guitar and drums. The sound is amazing and there is so much emotion in his voice.

"Me or What/我還是什麼" is a mid-tempo ballad also full of emotion. The song, like "Don't Ask" also makes great use of drums and the electric guitar as well as the piano, especially at its climax. The heartfelt ballad is something very familiar to the Cantopop music industry, but it's use of instruments and subtle rock influence makes it stand out.  On the other hand, the music video does not do its job of complimenting the song at all.

"Violations/情事" is an upbeat and uplifting song that boosts a feeling of sweetness and even slight melancholy. It's hard to describe. Perhaps it's because it's used as the theme song of his currently airing ATV sitcom "Heart's Beat for Love" (about a group of young friend's love lives and careers), but it makes me reminiscence about good times. Something about it is motivating, whether it's his vocals or the superb instrumental. It even slightly reminds me of a Zac Kao song, who ironically is his costar in the sitcom.

"Back Wave/回頭是浪" is the last track on the new part of his album (CD1), as well as the only Mandarin one. It serves as a proper closing as the song is soothing and calming. The orchestra featured is beautiful as well. A very lovely song that is a relaxing listen.

Following the 6 new tracks on the first CD are 12 of Kelvin's "best tracks" on the second CD. The selection of songs is good as it is a mixture of his hit singles like his duet "Distress Everywhere/四面楚歌" with Kay Tse as well as notable non-single tracks like the R&B and hip hop influenced "Avalo Kites/千手觀音".

Overall

"Occupation" is a superb compilation of his great music of the past and his great music of today. The album marks the continued development of the new and improved Kelvin, as a man and as a musician. He and his music has matured so much since his comeback.

His experimentation here with different musical styles isn't extraordinary or history making by any means, but comes with great effort and execution. Some of the musical styles exhibited and incorporated here are not something that isn't often seen in Cantonese music in general, but is more uncommon in mainstream Cantopop. With his music, he is helping broaden the scope of mainstream Cantopop.

There is notably a lot more creativity and direction in the six new songs than in Kelvin's past material. Kelvin is constantly growing as an artist, especially with his increased participation in taking part in making the music himself. I look forward to seeing what else he has in store theirs year. In the meantime, his new music is constantly on repeat on my iPod.

Rating: 4.5 Stars


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Author's Note: I have been really into Kelvin's music lately, and as a result feel the want to post about him a lot.  This is my second Kelvin post this week, and I still have a two part spotlight (part 1: biography and artist critique, part 2: song recommendations/reviews) lined up.  This gives me an outlet to give my thoughts on him and his music, as I know I've been excessively praising and spamming poor Niki about it.  After this, I will also be blogging about a variety of things again.  Until then, I hope everyone enjoys my Kelvin posts.

Miss A - "A Class" Album Review

Simplicity is bliss, and less is more. Those are two quotes I've always agreed with. For Miss A's first full length album "A Class", the group goes for a clean cut pop sound mixed with influences of R&B.

The album is first introduced with "One to Ten", which opens with a pretty piano melody. The piano keeps its presence throughout the entire song by blending with synth beats and the girl's sweet and strong vocals. The result is a soothing and lovely song that's neither too fast or too slow, but instead maintains a pace and melody of its own. One of my personal favorites.

The album then moves onto "Goodbye Baby", the lead single. Of course, it's very catchy. Besides that though, the song is also sleek and well done. The girls have a wonderful harmony. It's message is simple (saying goodbye to a bad lover), but done in a stylish and hip fashion.

"Help Me" is an extra special treat. It is a R&B influenced song, and Miss A pulls it off fantastically. It possesses a great beat and soulful vocals. In this case, their experimentation was a success.

"Break It" is the first rough spot "A Class" hits. The intro makes for a good thing to get pumped up to. The part where they yell "Break it!" is what kills the song for me, as it sounds childish and cheesy. Some of the vocals are auto tuned too, creating a bad effect. It has it's good parts, but "Break It" overall is a weak song and the closest to being a filler.

"Mr. Johnny" carries a simple yet great hook. The techno influence makes it fun and upbeat yet edgy. They sound mature yet fierce. Jia's English rap is wicked! I especially love the first line of the rap "I'm a fool for your love but want nothing to do with your company".

Another rough spot is hit with"Play the Music DJ". It isn't actually a weak song, just not nearly as good the rest of the album. The intro sounds a bit immature, which is not fitting of Miss A's image. Fei does get to show off her vocals with the lines "Hey DJ", which is great, but it gets repetitive.

"Step Up" is similar to "Breathe" in terms of carrying the same exotic feel, but "Breathe" is much more memorable. A decent song, but not one I listen to often.

"Breathe" is a new type of upbeat. I love Miss A's mature and edgy image, but the cute and more girly image is a nice change for this particular song. The sound is refreshing and exotic. It is unique and whole lot of fun. The "Uh oh" really knows how to get stuck in your head.

For anyone who ever doubted Miss A's solid vocal abilities, the ballad "Blankly" will blow you away. The song is beautiful and stunning. All four girls put so much emotion and power into the song. They each get a chance to showcase their vocals, particularly Fei and Suzy.

Next up is "Love Again", which was Miss A's unofficial debut song before Min joined. It is an outstanding track because while it's fun and upbeat, it brings something fresh and doesn't feel like your typical K-Pop dance song. The girl's vocals are sweet and unlike most of their songs where Jia has one solo rap, her rapping is finely intertwined in between the verses here.

"Love Alone" is one of my personal favorites from Miss A as it is a simple yet solid song. The song sounds sleek yet clean cut. It has a great beat and the girls get to show their strong vocals here with individual solos. The theme is empowering and meaningful as it deals with unrequited love and not wanting to "love alone". Also, "Love Alone" is sung completely in English, and it's refreshing.

For once, an English K-Pop song actually sounds like it could pose as an American or European song instead of a bad attempt at singing English! (I actually think this song is reminiscent of Europop.). Perhaps this is just because the song was originally composed in English instead of being translated from Korean, but it flows very well and smoothly.

Their debut track "Bad Girl Good Girl" is also included on their first full length album, which remains one of their best songs ever. The repeated "You don't know me"s and "So shut up boy"s is unique, effortlessly catchy and in your face. The harmony and solos of each girl is solid. The composition of the whole song is empowering and seems to give off girl power. Hearing this song always makes me want to get up and move.

"A Class" closes with the Silver remix of "Goodbye Baby". It is a decent remix, but like movies where the original is always better than the sequel, the original is always better than the remix.

Highlights: "One to Ten", "Goodbye Baby", "Help Me", "Mr. Johnny", "Breathe", "Blankly", "Love Alone" (Not including "Bad Girl Good Girl" and "Love Again", which were previously released.

Weak Links: "Break It, Play the Music DJ", and "Step Up".

Overall
"A Class" is a strong debut and strong album in general. It does have its weak links, but strays away from having actual filler and consists of several highlights. The album does a fantastic job of showcasing what Miss A's musical style and what they have to offer. It shows their great promise and potential. If they continue their efforts, no doubt that in the future, Miss A will emerge as one of the top groups as well as one that is well respected and praised.


Rating: 4.25 Stars

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Author's Note: First an artist critique, then a review of their recent EP, and now a review of their debut album!  Am I showing bias yet?  :P  I genuinely love Miss A though and it didn't take long for them to become my favorite girl group, even though I've been giving other groups a try too.  Something about them is so different and much more my taste.  I enjoyed writing this in depth album review and hope it wasn't too long or boring.  This concludes my series of Miss A posts for now, but I will definitely be writing more about them.

Featured artists in my upcoming K-Pop related posts will be my other two favorites, Younha and ALi.  I will be doing some posts on more mainstream K-Pop as well.