[Misc] The Late Report: February 2021

I nearly forgot that February is a short month, so uh...anyways! Here's some stuff. Fuck you Blogger and your impossible-to-format bullshit. The inconsistency is driving me bonkers.

The Big Bully Blitz

February's Kpop news theme has been the plethora of bullying accusations being lobbed like candy. Some names include but are not limited to: Loona's Chuu, Seventeen's Mingyu, Stray Kids' Hyunjin, and Hyuna. All I have to say on the matter is a simple "yikes." Bullying is an entirely different beast in Asia so the only hope I have is that the truth comes to light.

Interesting Comeback Stage

Remember this track? "Black" was great and now many years later, we get a comeback performance of a different variety. Kpop's newest power couple has been born with Big Bang's G-Dragon and Black Pink's Jennie. I'd be lying if I said I remembered other famous Kpop couples, but this is definitely one of the strongest pairings to memory. Surprisingly, there's only a seven year age gap between the two. I guess it's more that I thought G-Dragon was older than 32 (turning 33 this August). Good for both of them.

SHINee - Don't Call Me

Don't. This song is awful. It sounds like the type of shit that EXO and NCT would do, and I honestly thought SHINee would be better than that. They had found their stride prior to military enlistment but seems like that's been lost as the younger groups in their company took control of everything. I just can't. More Minho rapping? Get the fuck outta here. Because they're veterans I gave them the respect of finishing the song but damn, I was not happy to do so. Swing a huge miss out of SHINee.

Collection of Miscellaneous Shit

And now a jumble blob of some other things that I noticed. Positive, negative, neutral, it's all fair game. Some German radio show host said racist shit to BTS, essentially calling them the same as coronavirus? I don't think I've ever written the words "career suicide" before but it's appropriate here. A stalker broke into T-ARA's Soyeon's house? That's fucking horrifying and I hope that creep goes to jail. Cherry Bullet and a few others have hosted AMA threads on reddit, which is cool. Luna sets up her own label, that's pretty good. Hopefully she'll see some success. Finally, some comeback news on the horizon, with the likes of Jessi, V, and DAY6 as headliners.

Late Rollin' to a #1 Spot

Brave Girls have had their EXID / Hani moment. Their song "Rollin'," which originally released in 2017, recently hit #1 on Bugs Chart, their first ever. Quite impressive considering that the throwbacks usually can't compete with their modern competitors. Great to see from them, though unfortunately I don't see a rise to superstardom in their future because the group is too unstable. Regardless, a win is a win and the song is quite good, despite the awkward pronunciation. Anyway that's all for today. Until next time, whenever that may be. Stay safe and healthy.

[Bonus] The Late Report: October 2019

With this, a full year of Late Reports have been filed. I can safely say that I like this series' inclusion on the blog: it helps take any pressure off having to write multiple reviews frequently, is clean and easy to format and write, and is super resourceful when it comes to Best Of 20XX and any compilation posts. Very glad I decided to do something like this. Here's what caught my eyes and ears during the month of October.

Tiffany - Run For Your Life

It's been a hot minute since I paid attention to what the non-Taeyeon girls of SNSD are up to. Tiffany strikes fear into the hearts of fans with this freaky MV. Halloween came early with these music video because she's got some curious outfits and styling present in "Run For Your Life." Those distorted leg shots are unsettling to say the least. Everything visual appears inspired by the works of a young Lady Gaga, and so does some of the sound. In particular, the way the autotune (or whatever mixing is involved) and her pronunciation of "glitter" is what reminds of Gaga's older material.

[Bonus] Boy Group Power Rankings: Spring 2019

Holy shit Boy Group Power Rankings?! This year truly is a year of surprises. And this case, good ones. As someone that always paid way more attention to the girl group landscape, but hey there are interesting things going on over on this side. I doubt this will become a recurring series - at least not for a while - but it's fun to draft these and y'all know how much I love power rankings of any kind. Speaking of...I'm really slacking on the Girl Group Vocalist Power Ranking that I've had foundation work for since half a year ago. Promise I'll get that out soon.

Let's talk methodology: it's really difficult haha. Because where do I even begin? Roster, talent, discography, statistics, history, legacy, etc. It's all a foggy blend and there's no real marker of when I should begin considering - too recent and the veteran groups lose out, too far back and the nostalgia goggles kick in. It's harder since there's no previous list to reference. I don't even remember how I determined placings for the first iteration of Girl Group Power Rankings. Looks like I'll have to rely on feel and adjust accordingly. Don't expect as detailed descriptions compared to the female counterpart list.

#10. Infinite
Honestly this spot makes you feel like a loser no matter what. With the complicated formula to determine who is "better," I settled with Infinite here over GOT7. Their rosters are actually pretty similar with both housing some unsung heroes in the vocals department. Choreography is their strength while rapping their weakness. But Infinite not only has seniority, but a better resume overall. "Bad" and "Back" are a pair of tracks that best anything in GOT7's library.

[Misc] Thought Corner: The Great Seungri Scandal

It seems that 2019 will be remembered in Kpop (and general Korean) history for a long while. If you're an avid Kpop follower there's no doubt you've heard all the shenanigans regarding Seungri (and others like Jung Joonyoung) that dates back to January when the first reports surfaces out of Burning Sun club. I can't even put a video or image in the header, this is too serious and sinister to even poke fun at. This will be a messy Thought Corner because there's simply so much bullshit to try and sift through. I'll probably go back and edit this a million times over the next couple days.

[Bonus] Best Of Love Songs

Happy Valentine's Day...? Introductions are overrated and especially so after a long shift at work. Here are some of my favorite love and lovely songs. There is no order, only selected via stream of consciousness. Whatever that's supposed to mean. I'll be heading to New York tomorrow in preparation for Red Velvet's concert in Newark so expect some RV content of sorts in the days after.

Red Velvet - Kingdom Come

As I've stated many times before on this blog, Red Velvet's softer ballad-loving side is my favorite. "Kingdom Come" is a beautiful take with mesmerizing harmonies that roll from start to finish. One of the reasons this style is made for Red Velvet is simply because of their voices. Have you heard Joy and Wendy? They are untouchable in this realm. Even Yeri and Irene (though limited in exposure) don't sound too far behind the rest of the gang. The lyrics were perfect when they mentioned "I won't wake from this dream."

[Bonus] Best Of 2008 (And Earlier)

If I was hardcore I'd have remembered the exact day and month I got into Kpop but as a scrub I only know fall 2009 is when I started really getting into this field. Thus anything here is primarily thanks to history, legacy, and lore. Here are the best of what Kpop offered during the mid-2000's.

#10. Younha - Password 486

Even though her "Someday" album is the true masterpiece of the early Younha era, I had to go with "Password 486" because it's more iconic. Younha was already doing work in Japan but this release put her on the spotlight in her native country. The pop rock elements and her strong voice are the driving forces behind a cute song. Check out Younha killing it with some younger stars earlier this year.

#9. Kim Jongkook - One Man

Ballads used to be king back in the day. Gummy, Davichi, etc. Kim Jongkook was no exception and his "mosquito voice" works its magic here. I never talk about lyrics but that last chorus, damn. It's honestly one of the most memorable ballads in Korean music history. Kim Jongkook has stayed relevant over the years doing music and variety, so his longevity is impressive. Too bad the MV isn't found anywhere on Youtube. This breaks the continuity early on, oh well.

[Bonus] Best Of Big Bang

I missed the last r/kpop Top Ten for f(x) - though I didn't want to pile on the S.M. artists - and here we are with Big Bang. Kind of crazy to think that since I started my blog in 2012, the first Big Bang song I ever reviewed was "Loser" in 2015. Of course I then reviewed almost every MV they released that year but anyway. Here are my picks for Big Bang's top songs.

#10. Fantastic Baby

Whenever I think Big Bang dance anthem, this is it. Snazzy background, tacky MV, wild shenanigans. G-Dragon and T.O.P drop the bass with the rapping while Daesung and Taeyang bring up the hype. Oh yeah and Seungri sings about Obama. Too bad he's more of a SHINee fan ya feel? We can't be safe from politics all the time. This is a legendary banger (heh) that has stood the test of time in my eyes. Years later and the song still holds up. This is what Big Bang is.

#9. Lies

Oh how cruel time is. Not because "Lies" hasn't aged well (it absolutely fucking has), but because more modern releases and recency bias cloud my memory and judgment. Still, "Lies" is a Big Bang classic dating all the way back to 2008. Don't let the subpar quality of the MV fool you, this song fired on all cylinders and was but a glimpse of what to expect from Big Bang in the many years to come. That opening piano riff is super memorable and a staple of another early Big Bang classic sure to make an appearance later down the line.

[Bonus] Best Of 2016 (#8-#1)

#8. Big Bang - Last Dance
Big Bang's final hurrah came in the form of "Last Dance" and "Fxxk It." The latter was briefly mentioned in the recap piece, but the former is really the song worth talking about. Somber vocals from each member really set the tone for the song (and the year, to be honest). And then T.O.P started singing and it was beautiful. If nothing else, 2016 has proven that rappers deserve singing lines too! T.O.P and Yubin have made a statement with their voices. Also live performances of "Last Dance" are...interesting. Big Bang will leave us for military service on a good note in an illustrious career.

#7. Twice - Cheer Up
Only one girl group can claim to be the hottest in 2016. Twice dominated Youtube, hearts, and charts with "Cheer Up" and even their most stout critics were silenced by the success of "Cheer Up." This was a group finding their form: between the vocal leadership of Nayeon and Jihyo, the shared rap between Chaeyoung and Dahyun, and pretty bridges and aesthetics, this song (combined with "TT" later) cemented Twice's position as the best girl group of the year (oops, spoilers for the Kpop Awards). Throw in a fun choreography and dance break and this was Twice firing on all cylinders.

[Blog] The Collapse Of YG Entertainment

It figures that after Thanksgiving, we have to get snapped back into reality. YG Entertainment would suffer damage to two groups: Taehyun would be leaving Winner, while 2NE1 would officially disband. The surprise factor of either news is debatable, but one thing is for sure: YG is hurting right now. They no longer have their flagship girl group, and (according to fans) an integral part of a boy group that had potential.

[Bonus] Best Of 2010-2015

Now that we've looked at some of the best songs of each year for the past 6 years, it's time to look at the bigger picture: who will come out on top overall? To find out the best song(s) from 2010-2016, only the top 3 of each year will be candidates. After all, it would be unfair (and also too much work, admittedly) to look at the top 5, or each full list. Anyway, if you want a refresher, here are the candidates.

2010: Taeyang - I Need A Girl, Rainbow - A, IU - Good Day
2011: Big Bang - Love Song, Davichi - Don't Say Goodbye, 2NE1 - Ugly
2012: Girls' Generation-TTS - Twinkle, Big Bang - Blue, Ailee - Heaven
2013: Girl's Day - Expectation, SPICA - Tonight, 9MUSES - Wild
2014: AOA - Miniskirt, Girl's Day - Something, Soyu & Junggigo - Some
2015: INFINITE - Bad, FIESTAR - You're Pitiful, EXO - Call Me Baby

I'll only list the top 10 for simplicity sake, and because I've talked about many of these songs a number of times already, the conversation will revolve around why one song is better (or worse) than another. It's another simple piece of writing as I prepare for another week of midterms and the new Twice review.

[Bonus] Best Of 2011

We now embark on a trip down memory lane, for the years of 2010 and 2011 still house some wonderful songs to talk about. Continuing tradition, I'll list my top 12 picks of the songs of the year. This was by far one of the easiest to compile, and subsequently also one of the easiest to rank. There's a distinct hierarchy between the top and bottom half, and regardless of their position all these songs are definitely nostalgic delights.

#12. TVXQ - Before U Go
If you want to look at one of the most important comebacks in Kpop history, the revival of 2VXQ after the JYJ lawsuit is definitely a nomination few would argue against. While "Keep Your Head Down" was the official comeback song, the repackaged album featuring "Before U Go" turned out to be one of three ballads on this list. The X factor was the surprisingly formidable Yunho vocals, which matched pace with Changmin in both power and skill.

#11. Secret - Love Is Move
This song was quietly a top-notch dance number that I felt many people slept on. It had many qualities that combined together for a great performance piece. Relatively catchy hook, frantic (but still clean) choreography moves, and a smooth vocal attack by Jieun. Sure, the Zinger rap is forgettable (hey she didn't change her name yet) but then again so are half of her raps. Like Yunho establishing himself in "Before U Go," Hyosung started to gain traction as a secondary vocalist behind Jieun in this song.

[Bonus] Best Of 2015 Revisited

The finale to the Best 201X Revisited is probably premature, considering we're only barely halfway through 2016, but I committed to it and wanted this one written before anything like a Best Of 2011 so here's another look. Unlike other installments, I'm pretty satisfied with my 2015 set (and part of that is certainly due to the shorter time between revisions) so there are relatively few changes across the board. With the said, it'll likely prove difficult to write anything substantial about the songs that I didn't already say before in December. Still, we'll give it a go and wrap up this series today.

#12. Big Bang - Loser (-2)
Original: 9MUSES - Hurt Locker
Simplicity is key, and Big Bang capitalize on that statement with the quiet and calming track that is very much the successor to "Blue." However, while no one can question the quality, it simply loses out to other songs based on their general noise and energy. When you need some relaxing tunes, or want to emo out for a bit, "Loser" has your back. "Loser" falls to 12th not because it's a loser - it is very much a winner, but because it's the most boring song on the list.

#11. Mad Clown - Fire (NEW)
Original: IU - Twenty Three
Honestly, Mad Clown has some transcendent stuff. He has a pretty unique flow and his voice can sometimes be grating, but it's never really turned me away from his music. With "Stupid In Love" having placed him on the radar, Mad Clown joined forces this time with the less known Jinsil for "Fire." Jinsil has a sultry seductive voice, which is a pleasant counter to Mad Clown's explosive rapping. By all means this song should've catapulted both into stardom but that hasn't happened quite yet.

[Bonus] Best Of 2012 Revisited

Here's a fun twist. I'm going to look at and revise my list of best songs from each of the past 4 years. Well, maybe. I'm going to start with the 2012 set for obvious reasons, and we'll see how I feel as it goes. Should be an interesting take and parallel to the Power Ranking pieces. Each entry will include a link to the MV, the original song in that position in parentheses (to make the list look prettier), and then some short comments about the song's rise, fall, or if it's a new addition to the list, why it deserves to be here and etc.

#12. B.A.P - Warrior (--)
Original: B.A.P - Warrior

Starting off the revisions with a lack of revision, B.A.P's "Warrior" remains one of the strongest and impressive debuts to date. The choreography was excellent and the rapping on another level (in terms of debuts anyway). While the team blonde look didn't help us get acquainted with the members, it's an iconic image if only for Zelo's ramen hairstyle. This introductory piece did a great job laying the foundation for B.A.P tracks to come.

#11. Juniel - Bad Man (-7)
Original: EXO-K - Angel

So I vastly overestimated Juniel back in 2012. She has had a good string of releases up until her departure from FNC, but "Bad Man" remains her best work. To put it in top 4 though was very very ambitious and as I found out over the years, Juniel's music is very niche and as a result doesn't have as much staying power as I'd want. Regardless, it's still good enough to not get outright dropped like other songs. And there's more to do with reevaluated songs being better than "Bad Man" being overhyped back then.

[Bonus] Best Of 2015 (#10-#6)

Here's some awkward placeholder text because I felt too claustrophobic putting the spread images and Youtube videos so close together. Here's the next set of 2015's best releases. Depending on how productive (or not) today ends up being, I may finish the whole series before Christmas Day so I can then work on the awards piece.

10. Big Bang - Loser

Let's kick off the top 10 with a slow yet enjoyable song. The title and lyrics of "Loser" sounds depressing but that's part of the song's beauty. You can feel the defeated emotion in each member's parts, most notably in the rapping from G-Dragon and T.O.P. Taeyang's bridge is also just as moving, even Seungri's faded choruses, too. The video expanded on the sad nature of "Loser" with various scenes of every member in the sad_zone. Pinpointing where this song could've done better is tough, but the simple reality of being a slower song puts "Loser" at a disadvantage with some of the other upbeat tunes. A well-rounded song no doubt but not the best on the album. But don't worry, we'll soon get to that.

9. Taeyeon - I

Did someone say Taeyeon solo? Of course this would find a spot here. Slightly unorthodox (at least compared to what is normally expected of Taeyeon) but unquestionably serene, the pop track has familiarity to her past OST work, while incorporating rock elements to make "I" something special. The repetition in the chorus isn't too bothersome when you take in Taeyeon's vocals. From Taeyeon's hair porn, Verbal Jint's surprise appearance, and the wonderful New Zealand visuals, the music video is also a treat. "You Think" was very close to making the list but was just barely edged out in the end. Taeyeon will gladly put the SNSD name on board either way. "My life is a beauty," indeed. The world could use more Taeyeon solo goodness. Let's hope this comes sooner than later.

8. EXID - Ah Yeah

Capitalizing on the "Up & Down" momentum, EXID moved onto "Ah Yeah" early in the year. With perhaps the smartest decision to follow in the footsteps "Up & Down" as opposed to straight up making another version, "Ah Yeah" is damn good from start to finish. Armed with the best verses in 2015, Hani and LE set each other up for success and delightful contrasts between the sultry vocals and aggressive rapping. Junghwa's awkward transitions still leave much to be desired, but her parts here are better than anything else in EXID's title tracks. Solji continues to provide extremely powerful vocals that make me want a Dasoni comeback more and more each passing day. This song seemed untouchable for a good 6 months, and surprisingly this placement seems low despite all the praise.

7. Big Bang - Sober

With the desire to avoid repetition, let's just say what has to be said about "Sober." It's an incredible track to rock out to all day every day. It's perhaps the most complete track on the "Made" album and definitely has the fewest faults compared to the others. The drums and other noise drive the instrumental and that only furthers an already confident Big Bang song. Consistent performances out of G-Dragon and friends plus a vivid (and trippy!) MV culminate in a pleasant product. "Sober" certainly lives up to the Big Bang standard and the hype of being the album's #1. Given that this veteran group may all be enlisting soon, the statement from "Made" was profound and impressive.

6. Mamamoo & eSNa - Ahh Oop!

Rising stars Mamamoo teased their album by releasing the "Ahh Oop!" single in April. This song quickly rose through the ranks back then and quickly rose through the ranks now. "Ahh Oop!" is 3 and a half minutes of addicting ear candy. Mamamoo and eSNa is a pleasant combination and strangers to the group might have mistaken eSNa as the 5th member on the team. By now everyone knows the singing titans they are, with a capable lineup of Solar, Wheein, and Hwasa. These ladies deliver with talent, sass, and energy (especially evident in the final chorus). As we trend into the very best, a shared attribute is that these songs are all accompanied by superb raps, and Moonbyul is no exception. The rap in "Ahh Oop!" provides buildup into the final stretch and honestly is my favourite overall rap inclusion of the year. You can't go wrong with "Ahh Oop!"

[Review] GD&TOP - Zutter

Now with "Let's Not Fall In Love" out of the way, we have another tacky song and just from the Youtube thumbnail alone, you knew we were in for some weird stuff. GD&TOP as the subunit ha been inactive for a good while. The last time we saw this duo was in 2011 with songs like "High High" and "Baby Good Night." It'll be nice to see them return with some refreshing raps and interesting videos. How...unlucky? Inconvenient? Awkward? Not sure what the word is, but it's a shame this shares the same Korean title with BTS' "Dope." Obviously they're entirely different songs, and you're bound to eventually have the same title as someone (and this has happened many many times already), but for both groups to have a title track with the same name is unfortunate.

I don't know how to talk about this video. I really don't think I can. I couldn't keep up with all the bizarre shenanigans going on. From the bathroom, to the freezer, to cameos, to...whatever the hell T.O.P is doing at 2:14. There's just so much arbitrarily random stuff happening I don't know what to say. G-Dragon's section makes a little more sense with the gambling and that's when a majority of the "cameos" show up. T.O.P is killing pigs and cooking and drinking or something. They're pissing together and dying together, getting high as balls and drinking happily, dancing like idiots and driving away without a care in the world. This is one hell of a video, and I can only nod my head in some sort of approval.

The rapping is charismatic yet powerful. It's very reminiscent of the original songs from GD&TOP where all they did was rap aggressively in songs like "High High" and "Oh Yeah" and their ability to replicate that is good. Given that this subunit straight focuses on the rapping of the pair, "Zutter" probably has the best rapping out of any Big Bang song so far, if nothing else than for how well the style compliments the goofy instrumental. While in the last review of "Let's Not Fall In Love" I mentioned that the rapping out of GD&TOP sort of mesh together in my memory, it's obvious that the only exception is from "Zutter." And thankfully so. It'd be a problem if the rapping in the rap-based subunit wasn't memorable.

"Zutter" is a revival of GD&TOP after 4 years and an exercise in how combining smooth rapping with a silly instrumental is sometimes all you need. The MV where nobody knows what the hell is going on is just an added bonus. It's a confusing bonus, but a bonus nonetheless. The final verdict of this Big Bang comeback is that there were certainly some losers (heh), but the average song is quite good and makes for perhaps the most influential comeback of 2015.

[ Overall: 85 / 100 ]

[Review] Big Bang - Let's Not Fall In Love

Okay, here we are. I've neglected and delayed reviewing these songs for long enough. Now that it's the end of August let's wrap up with Big Bang's releases. The group as a whole has had a pretty extensive and decent comeback with the series. Some songs have been great, some have been the opposite of great. Let's see where "Let's Not Fall In Love" lies.

The video is cute and happy. Romantic moments shared by couples for everyone involved. It's nice seeing that nobody is left behind, and every member has their own girl ha, and nobody is left out. Seungri seems to be having the most fun though, did you see how much air time he was getting on the trampoline? I can't even remember the last time I was on a trampoline. I would not recommend spending that much time out in heavy rain though. They should all probably go to the doctor's and get some rest. You're idols, can't be getting sick now. This certainly wasn't the most flashiest video, but the romanticism and happiness induced serves the purpose.

The simplicity of this song is awesome. It's perfect for those lazy summer afternoons where you're just relaxing. Taeyang and Daesung continue to do the bulk of the vocal work while Seungri is probably at his best here out of any previous songs. Not to be forgotten though, G-Dragon and T.O.P do a good job at the chorus with their lower ranges and the dual chorus seen in "Loser" makes another welcomed appearance. The tempo is excellent and the raps don't distract too much. At this point, I've reviewed so many Big Bang songs that all the rapping is blurring together but I definitely liked T.O.P's aggressive style to add some power while not taking away from the pace of the song. G-Dragon also has a solid set but despite all that, it's certainly the vocal trio of Daesung / Taeyang / Seungri that are to be highlighted. Excellent all the way, from start to finish. Considering how rare of a feat this is, I can't overstate that enough. For a song to not have any major faults is good, for it to go from beginning to end consistently is even better.

Big Bang have ensured that while they may be known for the wacky high-energy songs, they still have extremely impressive slower songs. Especially with "Let's Not Fall In Love" and "Loser," these are perfect song to lay back and just enjoy without getting crazy. I think "Loser" is still slightly better, but we'll see how the scores matchup. They are certainly the spotlight of this comeback either way.

[ Overall: 90 / 100 ]

[Review] Big Bang - Sober

Is the other Big Bang song not having an accompanied video? I was planning on reviewing both of them at once, similar to the past Big Bang releases. Oh well, we can still freely roll with "Sober" for now since...

This is the most solid release of Big Bang in the series yet. While it's not as fast as some of Big Bang's notably wacky songs, it's still a great listen overall. The drums power through the song and instrumental. Perhaps I've been listening to too many girl groups lately but it's been quite some time since the importance of drums has been utilized to this extent. It seems "Sober" has the proper mix of elements to make it the best Big Bang release so far. The pacing is faster than "Bae Bae," and keeps the energy up unlike "Bang Bang Bang." While I wouldn't label the singing or rapping any better than any of their other songs because they all have different individual flavor, and because the rapping in "Loser" and "Bang Bang Bang" are still really good, the simple truth that the song sounds very together is reason enough to push this as the best. Of course, no song is perfect. The sudden drop at the bridge is a bit awkward at first listen, and the chanting at the end seems like it was purposely lined up for karaoke rather than having the song in mind. Still, "Sober" from start to finish is just a loud and noisy song (in the good way) that you can let loose to time and time again.

The video also sustains Big Bang standards, having a variety of colours, props, camera angles, etc. Worth noting is that the colours are more dull, not as bright or vibrant as perhaps "Fantastic Baby," which helps ease the visuals around when the scenes constantly jump back and forth. I wonder if stalkers / sasaengs have tracked that poor little goat. It didn't do anything wrong, please don't kill it. Daesung's role with the drums was a very nice touch, though they didn't introduce that until later in the song. T.O.P is so animated now, it's still a bit of a shocker but in reality, nice to see this from the usually stoic rapper. Everyone else is at about similar levels of craziness. Like the "We Like 2 Party" video, watching them go crazy just puts a silly smile on your face. The boys have definitely put in a lot of work for this album, but they haven't forgotten to have fun either.

Above average to excellent choices in the structure of the song, instrumental, and video make "Sober" a very well-rounded song that certainly exceeded expectations compared to the past songs we've seen out of Big Bang. While "Loser" may be the safest song, "Sober" is the best when it comes to going crazy and enjoying the ride.

[ Overall: 92 / 100 ]

[Review] Big Bang - We Like 2 Party

After being trolled super hard by "Bang Bang Bang" I was hoping that "We Like 2 Party" would just be a chill follow-up, despite the potential otherwise from the title alone. The "Loser" to the "Bae Bae," if you will. And what do you know, I was (sort of) right.

"We Like 2 Party" has a relaxed feel from the get go. The rapping is extremely reserved, which isn't something you expect from the likes of G-Dragon. The vocals, on the other hand, pack a bit of energy on their own, with Taeyang and Daesung being the most powerful (as usual) while Seungri brings up the support vocals. The chorus is repetitive, but I think it'd be hard to make a chorus that wasn't for this type of song. Unlike the disaster that was "Bang Bang Bang," this song knows what it is and keeps the same style from start to finish. It's painfully obvious that songs with a singular theme or don't have insertions of other songs are the best ones. Or if they have a chorus that fits the song, too, heh.

The chill factor in "We Like 2 Party" is also represented mostly through the video. Big Bang is having a good time and having a good time filming. Hanging out, driving, go-karting, beach shenanigans, etc. Ah, Daesung, there are your eyes. Your facial expressions are more legendary when we can see more than half of your face. The last portion of the MV is just them drinking (or fake drinking) and still having a grand ol' time. Watching Big Bang let loose is just fun and gives you happy vibes, takes you away from all the bad news / struggles of Kpop.

In the end, "We Like 2 Party" is a relaxing song that manages to hit all the right notes. Between the clean singing, chill rapping, and crazy / silly music video, this might just be the best of the Big Bang releases thus far.

[ Overall: 83 / 100 ]

[Review] Big Bang - Bang Bang Bang

Rolling along with the Big Bang comeback(s), we have "Bang Bang Bang" and "We Like 2 Party." "Loser" was solid while "Bae Bae" was weird and left fans craving for the crazy Big Bang a la "Fantastic Baby." "Bang Bang Bang" seemed like the song to prove it, but will the song hold up?

We're off to a damn good start. The instrumental is electrifying and that chant is definitely the sound of a party. Taeyang's got the groove on with the backup dancers and everything is looking really good for this song. T.O.P follows up rapping to...himself? Cowboy vs. astronaut but the astronaut doesn't really stand a chance. He didn't even get to retort and gets rapped into submission. Seungri continues the hype leading a pack of zombies with shoulder pads. The witty(?) use of lyrics goes into the chorus which...

...is the least exciting thing ever. Like Christ I was ready to wash away my doubts of this comeback because the opening 60 seconds of "Bang Bang Bang" was close to perfect if not that. But this chorus is so extremely weak that I'm ashamed to even call it a chorus. It's not good enough for a dance break and certainly not good enough for the buildup. This song really deserved a good chorus and Big Bang did not deliver. Even the non-"bang bang bang" lyrics are highly disappointing. We dive into the 2nd verse with Daesung and again, there's good energy and build up here. Daesung, where have your eyes gone? They've been missing for the past few releases and I'm worried YG stole them or something. G-Dragon's rapping is full of punch and glitter, before going back to the pathetic excuse of a chorus.

The dubstep(?) bridge going into the final part of the song is sort of what I wanted the chorus to be. It's not perfect, but it's much better than the choruses by a long shot. Seriously, I'm so disappointed at the chorus. Big Bang would have had a near perfect score if the chorus wasn't utter garbage. My rage and disappointment aside, it's hard to like the song when everything about the chorus is so bad. I don't know which is worse, a song where the only good thing is the verses or a song where the only good thing is the chorus. A parallel song to "Bang Bang Bang" would be Hyuna's "Red" to a degree. The difference was that at least the chorus in "Red" kept up the energy. I'd have liked to rate this song higher than "Bae Bae" but I don't think I can. However, I won't look at the score of "Bae Bae" because I don't remember and see what happens when I do the Recap piece in August.

[ Overall: 75 / 100 ]

[Review] Big Bang - Bae Bae

Well it's been a while. I have been falling behind on both music and reviews. My library hasn't been updated recently, and that is compounded with the lack of May reviews. But no more (may cheat with the release dates though). Let's get back to reviewing the other Big Bang title track.

...okay this one is a weird one. You can certainly feel G-Dragon's presence in the song as the various yelling and shenanigans from start to finish. The song structure is very erratic and is more resembling the disjointed Big Bang my friend mentioned in the "Loser" review. While "Loser" flowed into each part, "Bae Bae" jumps around and is trying to have a fun time while doing so. I'll refrain from commenting much on the visuals, outfits, and settings of the music video. I don't think any of it is supposed to make sense.

Starting off with G-Dragon's high pitched yelling around the room like the goof that he is. I don't really know what he's doing, but he seems to be enjoying himself and that's what matters I suppose. The rapping isn't anything impressive but similar to the rapping in "Fantastic Baby," it's used to generate hype and build into...a rather weak following. This is the weakness of these disjointed songs / songs with smaller songs in them. Oh well, maybe next time. G-Dragon was also the only one without a girl for the solo shots of the MV. Sucks to be you...?

Taeyang (and later on Daesung) have the mellow section(s) of the song that could be considered the chorus? I guess that's the only conclusion given the rapping elsewhere. The part itself (parts themselves?) sound good, but I question the hilarious wig Taeyang wore, combined with the amount of makeup, basically makes him prettier than the girl with him.

T.O.P...what the hell happened? I remember when you were very stoic and composed in practically every song (even "Fantastic Baby"). Now you've got creepy contacts and are strutting your stuff like you don't give a damn haha. His actual rapping is rather high, even with his low voice in the picture.

Daesung had no variation in his lyrics from Taeyang, so there isn't much to talk about here. That sand looks fake as hell though.

Seungri has a rather boring bridge, given that it's slower than all the other members' parts, and that the visuals are also rather tame. Though I actually think this is more of a strength. The wacky rappers got wacky scenes, while the solemn vocalists got appropriately tame scenes. It's a nice touch to an otherwise erratic song and video.

The last part of the song is not only the simplest with repetitive lyrics but also the strangest as the lyrics definitely don't make any sense and the video here is just...bizarre. Leave it to G-Dragon and Big Bang to come up with the stuff that they do.

While I said that "Loser" was a good setup for "Bae Bae," I might have only halfheartedly believed that. "Bae Bae" is a funny, funky, weird song alright but it doesn't really do Big Bang justice for me. My go-to all-out song from these guys is still definitely "Fantastic Baby." And that might be where "Bae Bae" suffers the most from. It's not nearly as hype, the song doesn't feel like a singular song, and the overall tone is dampened compared to that past hit.

[ Overall: 75 / 100 ]