[Review] Block B - Jackpot

Vocals: 7 / 10

If there was ever a song without Taeil as the main leading vocal, I’d be surprised to see (or hear) it. Taeil’s vocal prowess is present in the chorus, which I believe is the highlight of the song, with the high energy, general sassy and fun vibe. I do think it’s a shame, however, that U-Kown, B-Bomb, and especially Jaehyo are overshadowed in a group with Zico, Kyung, and P.O as rappers and Taeil as the lead vocals, since they could certainly hold their own as far as vocals are concerned. Jaehyo’s meager bridge portion could have been really good if extended. Such a shame he was limited to mere seconds.

Appearance: 8 / 10

It’s a carnival theme, so even if the group wasn’t Block B, it’d have been a requirement to look at silly and goofy as possible. Coming off the heels of “Very Good” though, seems a little recycled with the masks and colourful suits but nothing worth complaining about. P.O doesn’t cut it this time around though. Didn’t like how the hair swirled around his forehead.

Dance: 7 / 10

I would not go so far as to say Block B is coining their own style of dance (AKA silly choreography), but it’s certainly their style that everyone is just jumping around, having a good time, while still (somewhat) looking like a choreographed dance. The 2nd chorus in particular was funny with the 3 members in the back just doing their own thing. Certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

Rap: 10 / 10

Zico and Kyung are in the top tier of rappers, so anything considered “average” would be distasteful for these two. Regardless, Zico’s signature yelling and Kyung’s signature “Aight~” aren’t missing, and their lines are fun, quirky, and just sound good. I actually think that this time around with “Jackpot”, the rapping was put in the secondary to the more fun vocals. Still, solid work out of Zico and Kyung, to be expected.

Music Video: 9 / 10

Carnival theme? Check. Creepy clown masks? Check. Silly costumes and shenanigans? Check. Actress that plays her part? Check. This is a damn good music video to accompany the fun and delightful song. I usually try to keep descriptions light, but this MV stood out to me with the analogies and homages. Whereas “Very Good” almost certainly was following Big Bang’s tracks, “Jackpot” has elements off previous Block B videos. There were references from “Very Good”: the colourful suits, the clown masks, Taeil’s glasses and hair, as well as “Nillili Mambo”: Jaehyo with a woman, gambling and getting punched out. After departing from their previous label, Block B have really started to come around. I also thought the actress (who is 16, mind you) played her part very well, although one could say it’s not hard to act creeped out by a bunch of “strange oppas”.

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Overall: 82 / 100

“Jackpot” might not have necessarily hit the “jackpot”, and it might not be the best Block B release, but it’s definitely up there among the rest of them. The fun and quirky song is supported by the excellent rapping that Block B is known for, along with quality vocals led by Taeil. It’s a shame that Block B has decided to forgo promotions for this song, as the live stages would’ve been entertaining to watch.

[Review] JJCC - At First

JJCC? Double JC? Double J Double C? Whatever the case, this is a group developed by Jackie Chan. That’s pretty crazy, but how does this group with such infamous support compare to the industry?

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Vocals: 7 / 10

Eddy has a really smooth voice, and that is brought out in this song, especially during the bridge, but is more than enough to make the chorus thoroughly enjoyable. The scattered English is pretty okay, and nothing cringe-worthy, which should be the case from idols managed by Jackie Chan. But, line distribution anyone? Eddy is the only person with lines, and even if the other 3 rappers couldn’t carry a tune, that’s not going to help this score anyway. Because of the imabalance, the rapping will probably fare better, albeit slightly.

Appearance: 8 / 10

I’m not sure about managing my own group, but if I had an injured member, I wouldn’t be the first to suggest filming or debuting without him. Anyways, you have 4 well dressed men dancing and siinging in boxes. What else is there to say?

Rap: 8 / 10

Like mentioned earlier, I’m going to mark the rapping better than the vocals since more people took part, and this is a group with just 5 members. San Cheong is the better voice of the 3 in my opinion, but has a slight monotone air to his voice. Thankfully, the vocals from Eddy balance out some of the blander moments in the rap. While JJCC doesn’t have any “Yongguk” or “Zico” moments for their debut, they show that they definitely have capable rappers in their ranks.

Music Video: 5 / 10

If you wanted something to compliment the nature of this song, I doubt this would be the video you were looking for. It’s got scenic boxes, fancy graphics, and doesn’t even include one of the members, who was apparently injured. And is it just me or perhaps the specific camera angles, or does Simba make the other members look like midgets. The effects aren’t laughable but they sure don’t drop jaws or anything. But hey, just like everything else, this MV is about the standard.

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Overall: 70 / 100

This song is quite a pleasant song, and is a nice surprise coming out of Jackie Chan. However, it blends in, and I’m not entirely sure if that’s what you want from a group with the influence of an international star. Nonetheless, if Jackie wanted his group to fit the mold, he did it almost perfectly.

[Review] Apink - Mr. Chu

Vocals: 8 / 10

This song sounds very…A-Pink. Keep in mind, this is only the 2nd A-Pink song I’ve listened to after “NoNoNo” but even I can clearly hear the distinct A-Pink sound that’s very sweet and lively. Eunji is the star, but evidently limits herself and allows for the rest of the members to sound just as good. During the choruses the group sounds very synchronized, which is only positive to see or hear. The usage of English was cute, and coincidentally not out of place or straight up obnoxious. Had this been any other group, I’d have reduced points since Eunji is so lacking (compared to what she can put out) and everything really is just “average”, but because this is clearly A-Pink’s style, they get an 8.

Appearance: 8 / 10

I always thought Naeun looked older than her ‘94 line would suggest, but in this video she definitely looks like the 21 year old or younger. On the other hand, the heavy use of flowery and pink makeup makes Chorong look much older. I’d like to note that this is only for the solo shots with them in pink dresses and all. The schoolgirl and tennis uniforms, yellow diamond background solo shots, and the others are lively and lovely. Even something as simple as having tennis court sets accompanied by tennis uniforms is good enough, given the inconsistency of Kpop.

Dance: 7 / 10

The opening sequence really caught my attention, as Hayoung’s lines, the bass of the instrumental, and the choreography all matched ridiculously well. Other than that, quite the standard choreography. Cute and pretty, with matching movements as far as the lyrics in the chorus go.

Music Video: 8 / 10

As a tennis player, I liked this MV haha. The cute robotic movements and overall fun nature of the video are just perfect for A-Pink. Though that is a really small tennis court. The continuity of having presents / gift boxes, as previously mentioned with the outfits, was well received and the usage in the ending half with the boxes and all that was also cute. As for what this group needs in a video, they have all their bases covered, and covered well. Nicely done, A-Pink.

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Overall: 78 / 100

I’ve never been a fan of the aegyo concepts in Kpop, ever. But A-Pink manages to achieve a delicate balance of innocent sweetness and aegyo that won’t make me cringe, perhaps spearheaded by Eunji’s quality voice. Nonetheless, “Mr. Chu” is a refreshing cute song and is truly A-Pink in their forte.

[Bonus] Best Of Girls' Generation

According to my Tumblr dashboard, this will be the 100th post on this blog! Yeah, I know a few were announcement / filler posts but nonetheless, in celebration, I’m going to talk about my favourite songs of Soshi. The reigning queens of Kpop have been successful with “Mr. Mr.”, and are on the verge of revealing every member is in a relationship at this rate.

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10. Gee (Gee)

- The most popular song only lands in at #10, but only because the extremely aegyo-infused song isn’t and wasn’t my style. I didn’t really like this song way back when, and although it’s obviously grown on me, I’d much rather listen to the other Soshi songs over this. Still, out of legacy and impact, Gee stands here.

9. Romantic St. (4집 I Got A Boy)

- Soshi excels at ballads, and Romantic St. takes the “sweetness” element into a new level, with the voices of Taeyeon and Seohyun leading the way. Even then, Yoona and Sunny’s voices blend quite well, too. The bridge is excellent, and overall the airy light tunes are splendid.

8. How Great Is Your Love (3집 The Boys)

- More ballads! How Great Is Your Love is heavier than Romantic St., but the song flows much better and it’s just as lively and sweet. Despite the chorus slightly dragging out, Sunny and Hyoyeon in particular sound their best here.

7. Talk Talk (4집 I Got A Boy)

- This song really “boomerang’d” around huh. After having been discovered however long ago before the “official” release in 2014, this was a ridiculously electronic and catchy song with a sassy tune and a sassy message. I wish this song had been the leading track on their 4th album, since I believe the powerful choreography of I Got A Boy could’ve easily translated over well.

6. Mistake (Hoot)

- Mistake is the last ballad on this list. While there are plenty of excellent Soshi ballads, I can’t really find many that match the level of Mistake. For its pace, there’s a lot to like. The chorus is simple yet the layering of voices gives depth, and the bridge is the sure highlight. There is really good harmony, as the lead and support vocalists balance and synergize well.

5. Girls’ Generation (1집 Girls’ Generation)

- By this time now, a relic in their discography, but an early release that solidifies itself because it’s a very simple, very good song. Vocals are clean, energy is high, and overall Girls’ Generation (the song) presents well. It’s quite moving to see how this group have aged and how their music has evolved, per se.

4. Twinkle (Twinkle)

- While not officially a Soshi song, it’s a song from the first iteration of the subunit so I’ll be accepting. Twinkle is a playful blend of Gee and Genie, providing the light and airy vocals reminiscent of Gee, and the chilling power notes of the main singers. The rest of the songs on the subunit album were really good, but this title track paved the way.

3. Run Devil Run (Oh! Repackaged)

Yeah, I know this song is a cover. However, Run Devil Run was essentially the transition or test song for the group into a more mature theme, similar to what happened with Girl’s Day in early 2013. And if you didn’t know better, a pre-Run Devil Run Girls’ Generation might not have existed in your mind if this was the first video you saw. To note, the use of clashing the RDR Soshi with Oh! Soshi was cute.

2. Trick (3집 The Boys)

- I tend to think of Trick is the perfected version of Talk Talk. The heavy electronic and synth sound along with the sassy support vocals spearheaded by the lead vocalists. All of which is backed by a killer instrumental. Similar to how Talk Talk should’ve led the 4th album, Trick should’ve led the 3rd album. Also of note, is that the English in this song might actually be the best in any Soshi song ever.

1. Genie (Tell Me Your Wish)

- Everything that’s good about Soshi is at a prime in Genie. The lightness of songs like Girls’ Generation and ballads are amplified in the verses, support vocals are enough to pass off, and Taeyeon’s work at the end is nothing short of spectacular. This was from a while ago, so the vocals of Yoona, Yuri, had to work to do but the bulk carries by Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Sunny cover for the former few.
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“Honorable Mentions”

Baby Step (Twinkle)

Chocolate Love (Chocolate Love)

Top Secret (3집 The Boys)

Way To Go! (Gee)

Hoot (Hoot)
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I have some other reviews already near completion, but since Soshi is one of the “founding groups” for me, I wanted to honor them with post #100.