[Bonus] Best Of 2014 (#16-#13)

16. SPICA - You Don't Love Me

SPICA are talented. Almost everyone knows this, and yet time after time they come back with a new song that blows me away. "You Don't Love Me" arguably boasts the most vocal power on the list, with Bohyung continuing to melt my heart with her voice. It's rich and powerful, and even Boa (who I usually am not a fan of) shines. Considering this is a retro track, I wasn't really paying attention to the choreography because this music video is just fantastic. All of it. From the hilarious outfits, to popping up behind doors, to flawlessly throwing laundry on yourself, this MV is all kinds of great and the 2nd best MV of the year.

15. Super Junior-M - Swing

I realize that this may be a bit of a cheat, but since this song has been released in both Korean and Mandarin "Swing" qualifies to be on the list. "Swing" is a energetic dance number and man this dance is awesome. Even during the dubstep break, Eunhyuk and friends command attention with the choreography. Kyuhyun and Ryeowook continue to deliver with vocals that are just right for this dance song and wrapped in an aesthetically pleasing MV and you have all aspects covered. Similar to CL and "MTBD," Super Junior-M's "Swing" is a welcome return to form. During the years where "Sorry Sorry" and "Super Girl" dominated, "Swing" gives us a friendly reminder of the good ol' days of Super Junior strength.

14. Younha - What Does My Heart Become

Younha had a good year, though most of that goodness was actually from feature work. Still, "What Does My Heart Become" is an excellent addition to Younha's "Songs with Long English Titles that are Awesome." See "The Real Reason We Broke Up" and "Would We Have Changed" for reference. Anyway, everything about this song is very serene, from the enhancing instrumental to Younha's soft and delicate voice. The buildup into the final chorus is also very strong and beautiful. In a year where most songs were characterized by strong starts and weak finishes / bridges, "What Does My Heart Become" remains consistent from start to finish with Younha's trademark sound.

13. Girls' Generation-TTS - Stay

Girls' Generation had a tough year. "Mr. Mr" was rather quiet and "Holler" was a bit too loud in the wrong way, but the rest of the album had promise. And of this promise was "Stay." This is the highlight of the album, and the prime reason you put Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun together in a subunit. This song is amazing and doesn't disappoint. All the girls show off their skills, and even Tiffany has a rapping segment. Now naturally such a thing should never happen, but truth be told Tiffany is the only girl (in the group) who can put that amount of pizzazz and spark with her California accent and make the rap work, which I can respect her for that. "Stay" clearly should have been the title track on "Holler," but I will forgive Soshi this once considering the crazy year they had.

[Review] Zhou Mi - Rewind (feat. Tao)

S.M. has had diverging paths in the year 2014. Their group management has been atrocious, with members leaving left and right. On the other hand, they have been shifting sights towards solo artists, debuting a handful with rather solid results. Zhou Mi is the latest to crawl out of the dungeon. The Super Junior-M member has had chances to shine with the group but now has his own stage.

"Rewind" is a good song. It plays to Zhou Mi's strengths as a singer with his soft and clear voice for the R&B sound. The intro is especially strong with the toned down background instrumental for Zhou Mi to lead. This is Zhou Mi in his comfort zone, which is a good place to be when you're making your solo debut. The background repetition of "Hey hey hey" was quite annoying, but not more than the autotune in GOT7's "Stop Stop It." At least that wasn't around in the chorus or I'd have flipped.

Oh, the token white girl in a Kpop video. How often does this happen? Probably more often than we'd like. This title literally gives S.M an excuse to spam the slow motion reverse controls they adore so much, and the camera work for the choreography shots are pretty good. Zhou Mi has such a height where some of the dance moves look a little lanky and awkward, something that usually is hidden behind Super Junior-M, but perhaps he's in the spotlight front and center this becomes more noticeable. The choreography itself is also pretty good, with the chorus and bridge sections being both highlights and in character with the title "Rewind."

Tao's showing in "Rewind" is quite strong. I'm glad that they didn't have Henry appear, as Tao is an infinitely better rapper than Henry. Tao's lines are short and to the point, and the Mandarin flows well (in comparison to Chanyeol in the Korean version) and his tough rap was a nice addition and compliment to the smooth vocals from Zhou Mi.

Maybe S.M. is just trying to divert attention away from the disaster of a year that their groups have suffered, but nonetheless, the stream of solo releases have been very kind to each singer. With news of more solos on their way in 2015, I think S.M. will be picking themselves up a bit, at least in terms of music.

[ Score: 82 / 100 ]

[Review] Super Junior-M - Swing

Vocals: 9 / 10

Pretty good stuff out of Super Junior M this time around. If you remember the cringe-worthy “Break Down”, all the problems since a year ago have mostly been resolved. There’s a strong electronic instrumental backing the vocals, but nothing overwhelming. The Mandarin of Ryeowook and Kyuhyun continue to improve. Some serious dubstep is thrown in, but only at the dance breaks (AKA where appropriate). The rapping in the verses, however, was completely unnecessary (but since only like 4 lines were actually rapped it’s not enough to warrant an independent rap section). They could’ve done with adding more vocals or removed them entirely and have been better. The questionable inclusion of rapping blocks the would-be perfect score.

Appearance: 9 / 10

Goddammit Siwon, why do you have that atrocious mustache. Ruins everything. Everyone is clean and crisp in their suits and dark hair. No one stands out, everyone blends in. And considering how the set is a workplace of sorts, this is bonus points. Zhou Mi’s hair could’ve been better, as could Ryeowook’s but nothing too awful…outside of Siwon’s damned mustache. Just like the vocals, one misstep prevents a potential 10 / 10.

Dance: 10 / 10

This is a really fun choreography, but at the same time doesn’t forget to be intense during the bridges between the verses and the dubstep break. I do seriously appreicate how everytime the hook “Swing!” is sung the same move is used, and while something like that may be silly in another song, works well in “Swing”. Splitting the team into 4 for the choruses and other various segments in the dance also works really well for both visuals and aesthetics as they “throw” the camera back and forth. Speaking of, the opening was both silly and neat: dancing at the desks, jumping on tables, tossing around the papers, all of which, again, compliments the workplace set.

Music Video: 8 / 10

Similar to TVXQ’s “Spellbound”, this MV is clearly for the choreography, so outside of the whole workplace theme (and subsequent party / fun theme) there isn’t much to observe besides handsome men and neat choreography. The camera work was fluid, and having members “interact” with the camera like in Donghae and Kyuhyun’s parts were well executed. While there was only one box, the pseudo-constant camera or whatever you call it, along with the use of lighting (nicely) give the illusion of multiple sets, or at least provide enough change to make stuff not feel boring. I didn’t fail to notice that with the background walls displaying the 8F, the windows show other buildings of height, which matches and is overall a detail I never would have expected out of S.M’s boxes. Lastly, the end of the (main) video shows how various special effects can be done right and enhance a music video, rather than hurt it like “Mr. Mr.”. And of course, the actual ending when their boss walks in is just silly and fun all around. Solid marks for this MV.

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Overall: 90 / 100

I can’t remember the last time I’ve been thoroughly impressed with an S.M release. Super Junior M and “Swing” brings back some nostalgic sound out of both the group and S.M., with flashy choreography, catchy tunes, and a good enough MV that shows off the dance. S.M may have been near-depressing last year, but 2014 is looking good with “Swing”, “Mr. Mr.”, and the Rookies projects.

[Bonus] Best Of Pioneers

I wanted to show appreciation for a select set of songs which helped bring me into the Kpop fold. There’s a mixture of nostalgia, first impressions, relevance in time, catchiness, etc. On Thanksgiving weekend, I’m thankful for these Kpop songs, as they’re responsible for attracting and keeping me in the Kpop world.

12. Wheesung - Insomnia

- Arguably one of the first of the Kpop videos I’ve ever watched, and despite it technically being a cover, Wheesung does a delightful job with the vocals and impressed. The flashes between scenes coupled with the dance would almost make it seem as if the vocals weren’t the main sellling point. The MV was pretty boring, but being one of the first videos, I had no idea what a stereotypical MV it was just yet.

11. Wonder Girls - Nobody

- It’s hard to argue the explosiveness that Nobody had during the 2009 year. The pretty dresses, catchy dance, and equally as catchy lyrics make for one hell of a song, along with a fierce rap segment. Speaking of, Yubin made a strong debut showing for rappers of any group.

10. KARA - Lupin

- Lupin was my second exposure to KARA after Mister, and what a follow-up punch. Lupin delivers in the powerful introduction and instrumentals, with Nicole’s rapping being very strong. When I first listened to this song though, the latter half of the song wasn’t as appealing to me, for whatever reasons it may have had that effect.

9. Younha - Ima Ga Daisuki

- Okay so this song is technically a Japanese song, but hear me out. This was my first Younha song ever, and therefore also my first Younha video ever, so it as to hold a special place in my heart. It’s a addictive pop rock style that instantly drew me to her and her works.

8. Wonder Girls - So Hot

- Even though Wonder Girls’ Nobody was extremely addicting, I was drawn more to So Hot because of the standard pop sound, and the chorus was equally as catchy as Nobody’s was. Serving this song as a follow-up to Nobody, Yubin continued to deliver on the rapping.

7. Super Junior-M - Blue Tomorrow

- So just two more songs later, we’ve got a Chinese song. During early drafts of this list, Super Girl was on the list but Blue Tomorrow wasn’t, until I realized that the very foundations of what I enjoyed and was attracted to in Kpop are the vocals, and the vocals in Blue Tomorrow are arguably one of the best on the entire set. Throw in a very serious MV, and you’ve got one incredible ballad.

6. Big Bang - Koe Wo Kikasete

- I promise that this will be the last “foreign” song on the list, heh. Big Bang’s debut for me wasn’t the stellar Haru Haru or Lies, but Koe Wo Kikasete. The rapping of G-Dragon and T.O.P were easily the highlight, since not many of the groups had standout rappers, but the vocal work between Taeyang and Daesung was even better.

5. Girls’ Generation - Genie

- Yeah, Gee isn’t on this list. Believe it or not, I was turned off by Gee at the beginning, since there was way too much “cutesy sound” (ahh, how weird the term aegyo would’ve seemed if I had heard it then). Genie, on the other hand, delivered a strong chorus, and absolutely amazing vocals from Taeyeon, Sunny, and Tiffany (Taeyeon’s adlibs at the end are what essentially earned her the #1 bias spot).

4. f(x) - La Cha Ta

- My first f(x) song was f(x)’s first (title) song. Luna and Krystal were outstanding in both looks and vocals, while the dance was impressing, while Sulli and Amber would go on to be undiscovered players. Even after four years, this is still my favourite f(x) song. The raw dance pop sound hasn’t been topped by the girls since.

3. 4minute - I My Me Mine

- Can you believe it? I can’t either, but certainly 4minute places in the top 3. If I thought La Cha Ta was the epitome of dance pop, then I My Me Mine certainly was the epitome of the more electronic pop songs. There weren’t many other electronic songs on the list or drafts, but the dance and vocals complimented each other very nicely. And may I mention that (a) the video effects on the “Click click” part of the dance was awesome, and (b) Gayoon’s belt still sends chills down my spine.

2. Younha - Hero

- I’ve mentioned Hero so many times on this blog now that I reallywanted to omit this song from the list, but it simply has to be here. Badass instrumentals, beast piano solo bridge, 110% high level vocals coupled with belts and the like. I’m still amazed this was never a title track. But all this talk aside, it’s still not #1 (I even surprised myself).

1. Super Junior - It’s You

- You’ve probably noticed that there have been a lack of comments regarding music videos, and a majority of remarks for vocals, because that’s what really drew me to Kpop and absolutely It’s You. Between the overcrowded choreography, steady background music, calming choruses, and superstar belting from Yesung (won’t sell out the other members’ vocal performance either though). This song was and still is dangerously addicting and once you get this in your head, you’ll have a tough time getting It’s You out.

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“Honorable Mentions”

Younha - Telepathy

Brown Eyed Girls - Abracadabra

Younha - Houki Boshi

Super Junior - Sorry Sorry

Girls’ Generation - Girls’ Generation

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What about you guys? What were some of the songs that brought you into the Kpop world?

[Review] Henry - Trap (feat. Taemin & Kyuhyun)

Vocals: 22 / 25

Henry has always been a good singer, absolutely. His voice is perfect for the dance pop / pop rock sound that “his” music has emphasized and been structured around. Even in some ballads his voice is a good fit. This is no exception, and it deserves the good score it has here. The only reason it’s not perfect is because of the belts (more because of the voice rather than the belts themselves) and lack of anything interesting, really. Taemin is actually a pretty good compliment to Henry’s voice, and while it wasn’t really picked up in that awful mess in “Maxstep”, this song did much better. Kyuhyun’s entrance was…strange. While he doesn’t sound bad per se, it’s definitely out of his comfort range due to the higher register, and it seemed like Henry would’ve taken that bridge much better.

Music Video: 18 / 25

I’ll admit that I was expecting something more than the standard off the teaser. Instead, it’s just the empty room with backup dancers (because this would be hella boring without them) and the piano prop. Henry gets points for playing said instrument and the choreography is pretty good. I’m sure choreography involving a handkerchief has been used before, but few and far in between. I guess in the more twisted way, this music video really does exemplify the title “Trap”, as Henry has been and still is stuck in the S.M. dungeons. I don’t think we got to see the girl’s face either. Stop copying that theme, it’s weird.

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Overall: 80 / 100

Henry’s vocals are solid and a good listen, but his voice is going to keep him locked into one genre whereas superstar soloists need to be versatile. The choreography is neat and all, but will certainly affect Henry’s live performances which were already shaky to begin with. Kyuhyun and Taemin’s appearances in both the vocals and music video aren’t overwhelming, but it’s still a dance box boring music video. All in all it’s a decent start, but I’m not entirely sure if there’s enough promise down the line.

[Review] Super Junior-M - Break Down

Vocals: 6 / 10

There is just so much wrong in this song. Between the random breaks, bizarre melodies, and incredibly apparent amount of autotune, it’s not very easy to listen to. The chorus is bouncy and not in the good way. It’s not all bad though, Ryeowook and Kyuhyun are relatively strong, and some of Zhou Mi’s lines are also really nice. The enunciation of Chinese has also taken a step forward since the days of “Perfection”, but is still lacking when compared to psuedo counterpart EXO-M.

Appearance: 6 / 10

Remember last week when I said Siwon should not have long hair? Yeah, it’s not a good look. Continuing the trend, Donghae and Zhou Mi’s hairstyles that counter their usual handsome looks. Henry is, well, still unchanged since “Maxstep” and prior, looking as youthful as ever. Sungmin is probably the first and only guy that looks good with the blue / purple tint. Ryeowook and Kyuhyun look the usual. The outfits are also fairly reminiscent of those in “Perfection”, and that is not a good thing.

Dance: 6 / 10

The last time a Super Junior M choreography was impressive, catchy, and appealing was “Super Girl”. As for this, I spent 50% of the time writhing, 10% of the time nodding in approval at the nice moves at the dance bridge, and a final 40% of the time laughing because they looked absolutely stupid doing their dance. The only time the dance was worth paying attention to was during the break, where some integrated footwork looked good amongst the dancers. Also of note, the “move one by one in a straight line” seems to be a new favourite.

Rap: 4 / 10

Eunhyuk raps twice in different length segments and both of them are at best random interjections between the singing. The raps themselves are only mediocre, so I’m not impressed. The song had some serious dubstep sound so I understand the urge to insert rap, but Eunhyuk can hardly rap in Korean, let alone in Chinese. Next time, save it for something that could actually benefit from decent rap, a la “Superman”.

Music Video: 4 / 10

Eventually, I’ll just use a carbon copy of a music video description for every SM review and just change a couple words. That way it’ll be exactly like the differences in music videos! I could even use colours or something! Well, there’s certainly no plot, and the rooms are bright, fancy, whatever. Also, Siwon doesn’t appear in the choreography because he’s supposedly hella busy acting, etc. But seriously, his solo shots are literally the same stance / look except for one at the near end of the video. I don’t want to think it since Siwon’s awesome but he’s on track to becoming the next Kibum of the group.

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Overall: 52 / 100

I think this is the lowest score I’ve given any song so far? And as a statement to how S.M. has been doing in terms of music, it’s certainly not a good set of marks. Across the roster, I’ve continued to not be impressed with releases over the last year or so. With word that the SME machine plans to continue its march strongly into 2013, I think they need to step up their game and change a few gears.