[Review] Jonghyun - Shinin' (Blitz)

I would've loved to start 2018 off with two full reviews, but time constraints and other schedules / commitments have forced my hand. That and I find myself relying less on reviews as main content and using "non-standard" writing instead. But I'm wasting enough words already. Jonghyun's final release is a posthumous song, and a delightful one at that. Truth be told I didn't know how to feel about the decision to release "Shinin'" or if I was even gonna check it out. I'm glad I did. The electric background instrumental is refreshing and addictive, the latter element further compounded by his repetitive lyrics. Of course, the lyrics that everyone will talk about or mention is the "always be with you" during the chorus. I'm sure that line has helped provide some closure for fans everywhere, and the dual-layered meaning definitely stands out. Much like "She Is," Jonghyun demonstrates his ability for this smooth dance track style just as well as anything else. His voice was always versatile enough to work any genre so it's not surprising in the least to hear him sound so fluid and comfortable in "Shinin'." It's been tough trying to think of much else to say. "Shinin'" is a good song, and has significance as the final farewell to a beloved talent. In the end I'm glad that this was made available to the public. We'll always remember ya, Jonghyun.

Word Count: 234

[Review] Oh My Girl - Secret Garden

We're starting off the review calendar on the right foot with Oh My Girl.and "Secret Garden." It's been two years since their last appearance on the blog, and three years since "Closer" - their magnum opus - was released. In the years since their debut they've mostly been misses for me, as I generally gravitate away from their cutesy style. Mimi can spit fire though, which combined with my burning desire for them to have another comeback like "Closer" means I'll always make time for a new Oh My Girl track. Let's see what we got.

This is what the world has been waiting for. Something along the lines of "Closer" has finally been released to the world. January 9th is a glorious day for Oh My Girl fans everywhere. Seriously, this song sounds fantastic. Crystal clear voices from start to finish creates enchanting audio. Everything is right up "Closer" alley with the soothing sounds and gentle driving instrumental. As always Yooa leads the charge and her work across the track manages to be both inspiring yet in line with how the rest of the members sound throughout the "Secret Garden." Even Mimi got to sing a little! Which reminds me...

[Bonus] Best Of Red Velvet

In preparation for the next installment of Girl Group Power Rankings, coming to a blog near you sometime in February, let's take a look at the now-flagship girl group of S.M. Entertainment, Girls' Generation f(x) Red Velvet. This group is as dynamic as their moniker and if you know me, you can probably guess which types of their title track music will dominate this list. But like me, you might end up a little surprised at where the songs actually line up. Also, I'll probably have to classify these Best Of Group posts separately, as some include non-title tracks, and some have differing song counts.

#7. Would U

The problem with deciding on seven or ten songs as the standard for these posts is that sometimes a group only has so many songs I'd classify as good. In this instance, "Would U" barely beats out "Dumb Dumb" for the first appearance. "Would U" is not a traditional song as it sort of blends a mid-tempo beat with beautiful ballad vocals, but I like it. If you didn't think every member in Red Velvet could sing, this would be the introductory course. They also have an actual good rap break that is both not awkward and transitions in and out of the track. Lastly, Irene is a natural visual treasure. She's flawless as fuck in the MV.

#6. Be Natural

Truth be told, I want this song to be way higher up on the list. This strong performance showcasing their dual threat (even though their dance track capability had not yet been fully realized) has significant weight in their history. Doubly so when you realize this was their first comeback. Sensual vocals and chair choreography should be more than enough to propel this song towards the top. But ultimately I cannot give it that honor. First and foremost, this song isn't a new creation, but a cover of S.E.S. Plus they didn't really alter the song much either - just kept it up to modern times. And of course we have to talk about the disaster of a feature in Taeyong's rap break. We now know he's a solid rapper from his NCT material but this was not a pleasant start for him. It's all over the place and the cringe English doesn't help. Promise you that the "Be Natural" in my library has the rap edited out.

[Misc] Best Of Kpop Timeline: 2009-2017

Over the last nine years, Kpop artists have released some really damn good music. But who has the most bragging rights? I figured to call this a Best Of Kpop Timeline rather than Best Of 2009-2017 Timeline since there could be future installments as the years go by, making those additions to this timeline into a series of its own. Before we get to the picture, there are a few explanations / disclaimers. The images for each artist are a mix of official logos, fan-created logos and album art. Some are very clearly much prettier than others but ultimately I like how this chart looks. Also, I only separated logos based on group or solo act. Group soloists were categorized under the same group for consistency reasons. For example, Ailee has her own logo but Sunmi's "Gashina" takes the Wonder Girls logo. To find the full artist (and song) at each position, you'll have to look at each year's Best Of posts which you can find here. Now I present the Best Of 20XX Timeline: 2009-2017. Some discussion and observation after the jump.

[Misc] Thought Corner: Kpop Hopes In 2018

Y'all know me I'm a sucker for series and continuity on my blog and in general. Here's some hopes and dreams I have for the Kpop industry in the year 2018. Like last year, they range across the spectrum - from realistic to borderline impossible. But before those meaningful thoughts hit the page, let's check back up on last year and see what happened with my 2017 hopes.

[Bonus] 2017 Kpop Awards

Welcome to the 2017 Kpop Awards post...in 2018. Unfortunately I've been sick for more days this new year than healthy, and thus the delayed release. This is a consolidated form of the awards, which will have eight prestigious awards and their magnificent recipients. Some of these might be obvious, and some others might surprise you. Let's see who the champions are this year.

Best Girl Group: Red Velvet

Two girl groups clearly dominated the competition in 2017. So why Red Velvet over Twice? For starters, even though Twice had better numbers on the charts, Red Velvet wasn't unrealistically far behind. More importantly, while both groups had a rigorous promotion schedule, Red Velvet simply had better music on the whole. I consider their worst release this year ("Rookie") stronger than Twice's best release ("Heart Shaker"). Then you have "Red Flavor" and "Peek-A-Boo," which were both stellar dance tracks that succeeded their previous flagship title of "Ice Cream Cake." They also brought back a little of their velvet side with Station releases, but hopefully their next comeback will be something along the lines of "One Of These Nights."

Best Boy Group: BTS

Surprise surprise, BTS is the boy group to beat. They had yet another efficient showing: four more solid tracks to add to their library. "DNA," "Spring Day," and "Not Today" were all different flavors of the BTS recipe: the refreshing pseudo-R&B track, the slower sentimental piece, and the tough dance juggernaut. Then you had the "Mic Drop" remix with hilarious English yet it was a damn good remix. Well done Steve Aoki. Perhaps most important out of BTS' 2017 is their early adventures in the American market. Appearances on shows like Jimmy Fallon and Ellen are no joke. I'm not saying they'll crush it in the U.S. should they embark on such a journey, but it's definitely a good starting point.