Fans became shocked to learn that 3 of the members of SNSD (Tiffany, Sooyoung and Seohyun) did not resign their contracts with SM Entertainment last year. However, fans were reassured as the 8-member group would remain together as SNSD. For the time being, it seems like SNSD is focusing on their solo activities or, in this case, subunit activities. SNSD has launched SNSD-Oh!GG a 5-member subunit made up of the members who chose to remain at SM Entertainment (Sunny, Taeyeon, Hyoyeon, Yoona and Yuri). Their ‘debut’ single, Lil’ Touch was released today.
Like all subunits, Lil’ Touch does not conform to what SNSD commonly releases. This song is a lot edgier than any of their previous releases, which I thought was a real charming point of the song. The song takes on a minimalistic approach with its pop instrumental. The beat is repetitive, accompanying the catchy melody and making this track quite addictive, as promised by the members. I thought the song was vocally quite good, especially during the pre-chorus. The verses seemed to be mixed up with a little rap-speaking, which I thought was rather different. Overall, Lil’ Touch may be very different but it definitely one cool track.
The music video is a little confusing. The members are running away from something but you don’t really see what they are running away from. They enter each room or set very cautiously, which I thought was rather interesting. Besides that, each member becomes very charismatic throughout the video, showing off their sexy side during their close up shots. If the plot doesn’t grab your attention, their looks will do the job very sufficiently. It was a good video to watch, minus the confusion.
The choreography looked quite cool. We could only see snippets throughout the music video but there was enough to confirm the following. It is a super upbeat performance, proving very fitting for the song. I like how they incorporate that edginess from the song into their dance as well.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.3/10
SM Station is back and they are delivering us with songs from a brand new project known as Station x 0. While I am not sure of the difference between this project and SM Station itself, 6 new songs will be unveiled (starting today) of collaborations between various artists. We will see Chanyeol and Sehun from EXO collaborating with each other, Baekhyun and Loco releasing a track and a 4 member single performed by Red Velvet’s Seulgi, GFriend’s SinB, Chungha and GI-DLE’s Soyeon, just to name a few. However, kicking things off today is Taeyeon (from SNSD) and chart-topping duo, Melomance.
Their song is Page 0 and I am totally digging it. I thought they would go with some boring ballad route but their song ended up being very vibrant and cheerful, which I really liked. It can also be described as refreshing, which fits neatly into the Summer releases we have been getting. Melomance’s signature vocals to the song, which automatically lifts the energy of the song up. Taeyeon sounds amazing, per usual. I thought their harmonies were amazing throughout the song. I really like the keyboard in the instrumental, particularly the keyboard-only start for the second verse. The chorus was really catchy, making me sing along within the first few listens of the track.
The song shares one simple message, to take on the world as it is your own life. And that is what we are shown here. It shows people comfortable in their own skin, regardless of whoever they are. And I think that is something we are all striving to do, making sure the world is a better place for everyone. For that, I think it is a really beautiful video. I like how the video makes your smile, which goes well with the sound of the song, overall.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.6/10
I took a little break from my JPOP reviews last week because I was honestly running out of reviews to write. During that week off, I did find a few others so the JPOP reviews live on! Today’s focus will be on Taeyeon’s solo debut in Japan, Stay, which was released on the 30th of June. Taeyeon also recently made her solo return in South Korea and I reviewed both her title track (Something New) and album (Something New).
Right off the bat, the first impression I had of Stay was that it could be the Japanese counterpart for Taeyeon’s iconic I. While Stay does not have the explosive vocals, the energy and colour between the two are commonly uniform. It does do a good job at showing off the soloist’s vocals, which does serve as a good reminder of how she started off in KPOP as a solo artist (especially given how all her Korean releases have been more of the unique nature). What I also liked about the song was its peaceful nature. It didn’t employ EDM or synths, instead opting for a more traditional sound and instrumental, which allows her vocals to shine more. I did think the bridge was a little too different from the overall feel of the song and I haven’t been able to get used to it so far. Other than that, it was a good song.
I really liked the golden lighting that they had throughout the video, which does compliment the song. It gives a warm atmosphere, which does go quite well with the song. Going back to the idea that this is the Japanese counterpart of the I debut, the music videos are quite similar. In both videos, it seems like she is rediscovering herself by putting herself into a foreign environment. Likewise, the golden fields in this video remind me of the green fields in the I video.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.6/10
Apologies for the lateness of this album review. I am still trying to catch up with some of the albums from a few weeks ago and keeping up to date with some of the latest albums. But we are here for Taeyeon! The vocalist released ‘Something New’ two weeks ago, along with her 3rd mini-album, which shares the same name as the title track. I have noticed that some people have been searching the site for this review, so I bumped its release to be a little earlier than what I had planned. So let’s not waste anymore time and get the show on the road!
2. All Night Long (저녁의 이유) (ft. Lucas from NCT) – The pop-reggae song opens up with Lucas rapping, following with Taeyeon singing the rest of the song. It is here where I get a bit of Where Is The Love (by Black Eye Peas) vibes and this stays throughout the song. I personally liked the chorus of the song, which has this bright and upbeat feel that makes me sway along to the beat of the song. It also makes you feel good, which is amazing (considering how stress I have been the last few days). Taeyeon’s vocals shine here as well, especially the high note at the end. (9/10)
3. Baram X 3 (바람 바람 바람) – Baram X 3 has this upbeat feel that you won’t get anywhere else on this album. And for that, the song does standout quite a lot. I thought the horns used in the instrumental for the track really gave the song that pop, which makes it stand out even more. The chorus was super catchy, especially how she sings the Baram Baram Baram with a lot of enthusiasm, which gets the listeners interested. (9/10)
4. One Day (너의 생일) – The song opens up with instrumentation (xylophone or triangle?) that has a really nice twinkling effect. It sets the tone for the song and instantly sets you to a calm mode, which I really like. Other than that, Taeyeon manages to show off her vocals throughout the song, which isn’t any surprise. However, it sounds so nice. It is a nice song to have a stroll to. The English line that starts off the chorus is surprisingly catchy, sticking in my head for a very long time after the song ends. (9/10)
5. Circus – With a title like this, I expected the song to be have some fun vibes. Instead, the song takes a ballad approach. And while this wasn’t to my expectations, the song is definitely show-stopping enough. Its very simple instrumental, consisting of piano and percussion makes you feel like you are alone with her on a very beautiful starry night. Her vocals were exceptional, to the point where when I listen to the song, I can’t do anything but take a moment and listen to its entirety. It ends the album on a truly beautiful note and is easily a song that I do end up going back for more. (10/10)
The announcement of Taeyeon’s comeback and 3rd mini-album appeared out of the blue last week. She is known for her chart-topping hits, such as I and Fine. And with the release of her new mini-album, she will most likely add Something New to that list, with the release of both her mini-album and title track today. Taeyeon previously released This Christmas last year as a special Christmas single.
Opening up Something New is an autotuned yet harmonizing acapella-like introduction which really engages you. It isn’t something that you hear all too often hence why I found it intriguing. The song then takes a turn and progresses into a more upbeat territory which remains for the rest of the song. It takes on a neo-soul urban pop genre mashup, a first for Taeyeon, who has experimented in the past with different sounds. I really like the funky and groovy sounds you get from the song, which really puts it in an even more interesting light. I also liked how light her voice feels in this song, especially during the chorus. There is this balance between her voice and the instrumental, with the latter being bold yet still complimenting the vocals. I really liked the prechorus and the bridge of the song, as those moments stood out the most for me. The chorus had a decent hook but it wasn’t exactly the selling point for me. I think, just based on the different sound itself, the song does feel memorable. Overall, it is a nice song.
The music video starts off with Taeyeon’s makeup all over the place. We see a snippet of the video to come but you don’t really realize what is about to occur. The video then goes back to Taeyeon (who is beautifully presented) arriving at her hotel (?) and walking the red carpet inside here, with a sea of photographers and fans waiting for her arrival. It seems behind closed doors she is a taregt for everyone, with the bodyguard in the lift and the room service maid attempting to kill her. However in both scenarios, she emerges victorious and I assume their bodies in luggage. At the end of the video, we see her tossing all her luggage out into the sea and shooting them for good measures. Cash spills out of some of them. While I am not sure how the video exactly fits in with the song, someone on the YouTube comments suggested that the people out to get her were the haters and Taeyeon is fighting back. Makes sense. At the end, I think it was revealed that everything we had watched was a movie within the video, though I am not too sure. I thought it was a well produced video with an interesting plotline.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.4/10
Taeyeon is nominated for Best Female Soloist for this year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards. If you want to support her and your favourite groups, click here to get voting!
SM Entertainment doesn’t mess around when it comes to the Christmas season. Usually, they end the year with Christmas albums for some of their artists and lineup many collaborations for the upcoming festive seasons. This year is no exception and to kick things off is Taeyeon with her first Christmas album, titled as This Christmas – Winter Is Coming.
The lead title track from the album is This Christmas, which is another ballad to add to Taeyeon’s forever expanding portfolio. This Christmas features a very nice piano instrumental that makes you feel warm but manages to prick an emotion or two out of you. I liked the late buildup of the instrumental. Even though it did make the start feel a little dragged out, it is not how you start but rather how you end. And the end of the song gives off a grand feel. Most importantly, however, is that the instrumental compliments her vocals very well. They make the song feel so much more emotional. The latter half of the song (where the instrumentation picks up) showcases Taeyeon’s vocals in such a beautiful light that I have to say that this is one of her best works yet.
The music video focuses on the girl’s relationship with her father, centring around Christmas. It starts off with the typical loving father and daughter relationship when is young. As she gets older, the relationship gets rocky and we see multiple scenes of her walking out on her dad and pushing her father away. In the end, it implies that Taeyeon is the young girl. The storyline made it into a very beautiful video to watch. I love the various effects they used to make it feel like Taeyeon was in a snowstorm with the snow blowing rapidly and the fast-moving camera work. I think that was the best scene in the entire video.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.5/10
SNSD or Girl’s Generation wrapped up their promotions for Holiday and All Night yesterday. But their 10 year anniversary celebrations aren’t over yet!! I haven’t done my album review yet!! (hehehehe…). I wrote the comments for each song before this introduction, so there is something that I observed. I mentioned it down below but the vocals in this album are flawless. I am amazed because this is the first time where I loved 99% of the vocal work. To find out about what else I like, read down below (Another long review, I apologise).
Holiday Night Album Cover
1..Girls Are Back – It actually has been a while since SNSD brought the girls out. So their first song was appropriately named in a way that exclaimed there were back. And the track did just that. Not once letting you down, the funky dance track lets you know the girls are still sticking around. I love the chorus, which gives it a dynamic and groovy feel. The vocal work here is also phenomenal! (10/10)
4. Fan – Fan is an upbeat track that reminds me of the KPOP in the 90s, almost like a Shinhwa track from that era. There is a level of intensity that makes this an unforgettable song. That being said, there was a part of the verse that I felt was too soft for the rest of the song. But everything else in the song was spot on. From the vocals to the instrumental, everything felt just right. Taeyeon’s ad-lib at the end was amazing. (9.5/10)
5. Only One – It’s the ballad that you just can’t help by swaying along to the music. There is a part of me that thinks this is a solid song, while the other part of me feels that the song is somewhat disjointed. If you listen carefully, the instrumental tends to change around a bit which makes it sound a little odd. Once again, the vocals are on point. If this somehow sounded sweeter, I think I would dig this track more. (8/10)
6. One Last Time – Out of the all the songs on the album, excluding the title tracks, this is my most favourite. There is an emotional side to the song, which you feel very strongly as you listen to the song. They don’t really hold back on the sadness. More over, their vocals are highlighted nicely with the melodies and the ballad instrumental. I can’t find any flaws in this song. It is genuinely my pick for a perfect song. Understanding the lyrics of the song does make me a little sad, as it would be perfect as a disbandment song. But I won’t go there. (10/10)
7. Sweet Talk – Right off the bat, it sounds like a song that Ariana Grande or some other Western pop star would have put out. And it would have been a direct hit as soon as it was released. The vocals are amazing but the raps could have been given more boldness and backing. They felt weak in comparison to the rest of the song, which was disappointing. I like it but if the raps were stronger, I would have loved it some more. (8/10)
8. Love Is Bitter – There is a nice Broadway sound to the song, which gives it some character. The title makes it sound like a cheesy ballad, but instead, we get something a little bolder. What I liked is how they gave the start of the chorus to the people who usually get the least amount of lines in the song (Hyoyeon and Yuri), giving the girls a chance to show off what they got. Of course, they do a splendid job and remind us of their hidden talents that should get the stage spotlight all the time as well! (9/10)
9. It’s You (오랜 소원) – It’s You is a song written by Yuri for the fans who have stood by their side for the last 10 years. It is a decent song that I am sure all SONEs around the world would love. Personally, it doesn’t suit my tastes but the song’s meaning is clearly touching. I felt like it could have better melodies or some sort of deeper backing vocals to give it some foundation. But overall, it is still a good song. (8/10)
10. Light Up The Sky – What a way to end off the album. The song seems to be directed to a particular someone who used to be by the side of the 8 girls for the last 10 years. As a fan, that does hit home quite strongly. Once again, the vocals are amazing. Each member has clearly poured themselves into the song, which is why I think this is also a remarkable song. The chorus of this ballad has a catchy sound to it, with the way it is presented. I keep on coming back for more and so should you! (10/10)
SNSD is 10 years old!!! The group debuted back in August 2007 and has since become of the biggest and well-known groups in the KPOP industry. Fast forward 10 years, the group (just a few hours back) dropped their 6th studio album and title tracks, Holiday (which I have already written a review for) and All Night!
All Night is a fantastic mix of past and present. The verses of the song give off a retro sound, which reminds me of the 70s and 80s at certain parts. The chorus brings the more recent musical elements, in my opinion. The chorus resembles pop songs that could have been released in the past few months or years. The mix is very interesting as it does give you a feel of how music has travelled through time. The song is quite catchy and attractive. I love the various tempos that the song goes through, from upbeat to more slower sections. The raps and the vocals fit well with the song, but they don’t seem to bring that impact that the song needed. That doesn’t mean I am disappointed with it because I am totally digging the song. But I felt they could have gone that extra mile with the song. If we were looking at All Night and Holiday side-by-side, I think Holiday will win over All Night. But it is still a good song overall.
That retro vibe played well into the music video. Their outfits and the set just looks wonderful in the video. While they did shrink the screen once again, it did make a lot more sense for the retro concept they were going for. Most importantly, the video linked below features a documentary, which I am sure the girls are talking about what SNSD and their journey means to them. I like that approach, but I prefer the song to be in one block, rather it fading in and out. It just feels disjointed and looses the aesthetics of the song. But what makes me even happier is that ending where they bring the old footage of SNSD back, when there were 9 members. It’s beautiful and a nice trip down memory lane.
[Updated] The choreography was actually quite nice. Though it did look odd for a retro styled come back, the performance was worth watching. Once again, it isn’t the best dance of the year but it managed to go well with the song, in general.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 [Updated] Overall Rating – 8/10[Updated]
The Queens of KPOP are back to celebrate their 10th year since debut. It has been a wild ride for the girls since their debut on the 5th of August 2007. 10 years on, they are releasing their 6th studio album, which joins the long line of hits from the girl groups. This 6th album is titled as Holiday Night and features two title tracks, Holiday and All Night (the review will be out shortly!).
Holiday just wants to make me get my groove on. It is a flashy song that catches your attention with its show-tune kind of sound. You can expect this song at a musical, but SNSD brings it you on a stage and music video! It’s super catchy and isn’t overly complicated, which makes it easy on the ears. Like the repetition of the “Ho-Ho-Holiday” just make me want to go back and replay the song even more! The vocals work is amazing and the Hyoyeon’s rap fits in really well. The only problem I find is how the song ends. It ends abruptly, which means the song is cut off awkwardly. Given how the song is very upbeat and catchy, an abrupt cut off doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the song. But overall, it is one damn, near-perfect song that will I would gladly see rise to the top of the charts and replay many, many times!
What is my most favourite word to use in these reviews? ‘Amazing’. And guess what else is amazing? SNSD’s music video for Holiday! Oh, that was cheesy. But seriously, this video is totally rocking. That show-tune vibe that I was talking about was shown nicely through the various sets and scenes throughout the video. The sets themselves were highlights of the music video. The final set of the stage gave the video the right atmosphere for their 10-year celebration, which I too, thought was cool. I also loved the featuring of a muppet. During the second verse, the way they managed to film and choreograph the dance to fit the lineup of the members singing (Sooyoung, Yoona, Yuri and Sunny), which I thought was really cool! The video does not disappoint and compliments the song nicely.
While we don’t see much of the choreography in the video, I think there was enough to write about. I do hope that part that I mentioned above is also included in the stage performances. That would look really cool. There just doesn’t seem to be a catchy move or a highlight, which does make it somewhat weaker. But overall, a fair dance.
Song – 9.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Hyoyeon from Girl’s Generation has returned with her latest single. Her previously collaborated with Miss A’s Min and Jo Kwon and released a single titled as Born To Be Wild. She later went on to release Mystery, her first solo single. Both these songs were released for SM Station. This is her second single, with the song titled Wannabe, which also features SanE.
Right from the very start, we hear a constant groaning in the background of the song. It is undeniably a turn-off and quite annoying. She usually raps when she is a part of Girl’s Generation, but there is a different sound in this song, compared to works as part of the 8-member girl group. I actually think this tough sound fits her. Her raspy voice gives it a boost in terms of energy, which goes a long way in this song. But the part I love the most is the chorus. It’s catchy and provided much needed relief from that groaning at the start. The verses delved into a hip-hop centred sound, while the chorus felt like it was more retro pop. Odd combination and it doesn’t work for me. While it didn’t seem that apparent, there really wasn’t a transition that could have tied the two different sounds together. That made it feel like the parts were detached from each other. Likewise, SanE’s featuring in the song felt distant from the rest of the song. It just felt like another part of another song that was added to extend the song. There is definitely potential behind this song just by listening to the chorus. But the rest of the song seems to mask it.
The music video is filmed in a place, which seemed to look like an underground boxing arena and a warehouse where some of the boxers are practising. The cinematography seem to add an extra edgy vibe in conjunction to the song, which I think is quite cool. The way she moves around and starts dancing at some parts also made the video looked smooth. The addition of the guys in the background, where the camera pans to them watching Hyoyeon or ‘resting’, made things feel a little awkward. Furthermore, the amount of jewellery and ‘bling’ (my attempt to sound cool) wouldn’t necessary fly in an area like that. The scenery and surroundings mismatched the accessories she was wearing throughout the video. Overall though, the video was quite pretty good to watch.
The performance is quite cool. The styles matched the certain part of the song she was dancing to. The more edgy feel was also present, something we don’t really see when she is with SNSD, which is nice. It wasn’t impressive, but nonetheless, it was enjoyable to watch.
Song – 5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 6/10
Jonghyun has returned with his newest compilation album. The album titled, The Collection: Story Op. 2, is a follow-up to his previous compilation album, The Collection: Story Op. 1, which contained the main track End of a Day. The main track from the new album features Taeyeon from SNSD and is titled Lonely. A compilation album, for those who don’t know, consists of songs that have been previously released or recordings that have not been released before. Some of the tracks have been unveiled on Jonghyun’s radio show before, while some are new releases.
The song falls into the ballad category, as expected. And it is a good ballad. The song opens up with a simple piano tune and it remains a simple sounding song throughout. There is a small dose of catchiness in the song that makes it goes a long way. I cannot resist the urge to sing along to the “I’m So Lonely” lines. The vocals of both Jonghyun and Taeyeon dominate the songs, however still maintaining the balance with the instrumental. Their voices compliment each other quite nicely. The only thing that doesn’t fit right in the song is the emotions in their vocals. It is a sad song, judging from the lyrics and the overall tone of the song. And while I can hear the emotions in their voices, it was subtle and at times lacking. While I am glad that it is not “in-your-face”, it made the lack of emotions made it feel dry and generic at parts. Furthermore, the song really didn’t seem that memorable. Besides that one line (mentioned early on in the paragraph), I don’t really remember much from the song after listening to it.
The music video fits the loneliness that the song presses on about. Only Jonghyun features in the music video and he looks lonely. There were some scenes that were powerful, especially the one with the tallies on his arm. Overall, the aesthetics of the video made it looked cool, despite it being slow and empty. An example would be the camera shots. Rather than focusing on Jonghyun, they focused on his mouth, which occupied only part of the screen. It probably doesn’t look that fancy but I thought it looked cool. You would think I would find boring, but rather I thought it complimented the song quite well. Besides that, there isn’t much else to talk about (and I am stopping myself here before I start rambling on about other irrelevant stuff).
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
Taeyeon has returned once again this year with a brand new song. This time around, she released a repackaged and ‘deluxe’ version of her solo album, My Voice, which was released last month. Make Me Love You joins Fine and I Got Love as the lineup of title tracks for the album. There doesn’t seem to be any promotions for this new release, which is quite disappointing.
Taeyeon’s newest song has me screaming approval from the very first listen. It is a simple pop RnB song that stood out of the pack (as in the many songs that were released the same day). While it was simple, it had a very grand production sound to it and the song overall could have described as elegant and classy. Taeyeon’s vocals are beautifully incorporated into the track. The elegance and classy nature of the song are lifted up higher with the presence of her vocals. There is no doubt to why many people say Taeyeon is one of the best soloists in Korea, with this song serving as promising evidence. The buildup to the chorus is worth mentioning. It’s a slow incline but it allows for the chorus to shine very brightly. Once the beat drop, we enter a very familiar chorus. I say familiar because it reminds me of Ellie Goulding’s Love Me Like You Do. Both tracks are quite similar in sound and style. The chorus in Taeyeon song isn’t overly complicated. It’s quite short and comprises of just a few English lines. While this has been done before in other songs, there is something that makes it click. And there is something that makes me sing along to it. I would have liked it if she had a more powerful ad-lib at the end, to give it that ‘cherry on top’. This song is definitely one that I would recommend to anyone!!!
The music video is fabulous. What was done here matched the song quite nicely. I am glad that they didn’t make her sit in one place and just have that, especially for the chorus. Instead, many different shots of her sitting and walking around (and smiling at the camera) were in the video. I didn’t watch the video first and imagined the video to be exactly that and it was exactly that. The cool chromatics looked quite cool as well. The cinematography makes the video seem like it came out of a movie. While I said that I was glad they didn’t make her sit in one place, the scene where she sits in a room full of flowers (the feature image of this post) was probably the one scene that summed the video up quite nicely and showed off the elegance quite nicely. As I said, the video goes perfectly with the song. It might be boring after a while, but for now, it is definitely worthy to watch.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10
I promised last night and I have delivered! This is my second album review to date. This is also Taeyeon’s first solo full album, with a total of 12 songs. I have reviewed 2 of songs from the album and have linked them in the post below. I am just going to let you know that a lot of the focus will be in the vocal work because they just blow you away in every song. While the gaps between album reviews seem to be quite large, I am hoping that I will be push through next month with 4 different album reviews. I am still open to making changes to the layout of these album reviews, so feel free to leave any feedback in the comments. On we go!
2.Cover Up – Compared to the title track, this song is much more upbeat. Actually, this song would be perfect at any of my friend’s parties this year because this is an example of the song that we would jam to (and they don’t even listen to KPOP). It’s really catchy and Taeyeon shines brightly with the more electronic based instrumental. (9/10)
3.Feel So Fine – It may not be the best song out of the bunch but it is one damn good track. Her vocals just take this song to a whole new level. The track does sound a little generic and doesn’t showcase any new sounds. But it sounds a lot like some of her tracks with but a more heavy instrumental and more bass. (7/10)
5. I’m Okay – The song is a very jazzy and soulful number (at least to me). But what stands out about this song is the chorus. The chorus is literally perfection to me. It’s melody and rhythm is amazing. The track is very consistent (which here is a good thing) from start to end. I love the instrumental bridge of the song and her vocals are wonderful here. (9/10)
6. Time Lapse – Probably one of the best songs on the list, apart from the title and pre-release track. It doesn’t pack a punch directly through an explosion of the instrumental or her vocals. The track is kept very neutral and that is what makes it so great. Instead, its impact was after the song finished playing. I literally took a few moments to reflect on the blessing that just graced my ears. That exponential sounding high note at the end was spectacular, which put the cherry on top for me. (10/10)
7. Sweet Love – This particular song had its moments for me. The verses felt bland and I didn’t pay attention to it. But once again, the chorus caught my attention. The way she went higher and higher in the chorus made it sound amazing. Like the title of the song, the instrumental did have a sweet feel to it. The verses did leave me feeling disappointed, though. (7/10)
8. When I Was Young – Probably there is a law out there in South Korea that specifies all albums must contain at least one ballad-like song. In this album, this is the ballad-like track. While it does sound good, it doesn’t really do it for me. Taeyeon has amazing vocals and this is the one track of just a few where her vocals felt underwhelming and bland. The chorus of the song was a little better but it didn’t amaze me as much as the other tracks. (6/10)
9.Lonely Night – I am a little on the fence for the song. I love the instrumental. It sounds like a song that you would listen to when during the night while looking at the stars. The instrumental is very easy going and has a nice jazz inspired feel. The vocals just made the song fall a little flat. It doesn’t utilise her powerful vocals, which I get. We can’t have her blowing us away in every song. But here, it made this track feel boring. (5/10)
10.Love in Colour – Another ballad on the tracklist. This is a perfect track that holds her vocals back. There are no impressive ad-libs or high notes that blow us away. But her vocals deliver the song quite nicely and the balance between instrumental and vocals was ideal. You can hear the emotions sprinkled throughout the song through her voice. (8/10)
11. Fire – Fire launches us back to her powerful vocals. The song delves into the RnB genre, something that I have yet to hear on this album. I love her launch into the choruses here. It was not as impressive as her other launches in the choruses, but it still sounds amazing. (7/10)
12. Eraser – Taeyeon ends the album with a head banger. It was unexpected but I am in love with this song. I started nodding along to the song but as soon as the chorus hits, the instrumental and her vocals are just head banging worthiness. She also raps a little bit the song but it masked by a lot of autotune, so I couldn’t really make out any words (sounded like a blur). And I had to backtrack for a moment because I thought someone else rapped and featured in the song, but nope, it was the queen herself! (9/10)
Overall Album Rating – 8/10
So what songs do you like from Taeyeon’s latest release? Comment below!
I recently reviewed I Got Love by the solo queen herself, Taeyeon from SNSD. And with that amazing song as just her pre-release for her very first solo album, there are obviously high expectations for her entire album. But wait, this just marks her first solo album, My Voice? Given her status as a digital chart killer and the many (ain’t going to attempt to list them here) songs that she released? Obviously, this is long solo album is long overdue. If that is the case, I smell an album review coming up.
Fine is her title track for this album and it is one fine track (no pun intended… obviously). The song sounds like a Taylor Swift influenced track, with the acoustic guitar and pop ballad vibes, something that I will admittedly say that I miss from the world class act. This song takes it back to her solo debut days for me. The structure is quite similar and the way she delivered the songs are almost the same. But what makes this song good is that it focuses on good music and if we are talking about Taeyeon, amazing vocals. Her vocals in this song will blow you away. The track does start off slow and quiet. But as she launches herself into the chorus, she obviously doesn’t hold back. The chorus itself is quite different to the verses, as it is layered with bass and more instrumentals (other than the acoustic guitar). Towards the end, when we get to the peak of most songs (prior or during the final chorus), she takes it one step further with amazing ad-libs and high notes that literally took my breath away. Taeyeon has put out tracks that have disappointed me before, but when it comes to songs just like this one or any of her ballads, you can probably never go wrong.
The video itself shows Taeyeon walking around and clearly having thoughts in her head. From the rest of the video, we can probably tell that those thoughts are in regards to her lover, who has left her. We see try her best to move on (through scenes of her walking around the store and on the streets) but memories of him just start coming back to her. Now, to address the scenes where everything appears sketchy and unrecognisable (to her). I think they mean two things. The first is that everything around her is different now. Life with her boyfriend is different to life without him. The second is that she is slowly moving on (as indicated of the scenes towards the end where the sketchiness comes back, but blots out his face). We see her still thinking about him while she works on set. But she pushes through, finishing the photoshoot as professionally as she can after taking some time out. In the end, we see her pull out a glass and drink water from it, opposed to drinking whatever from plastic cups when she was with her boyfriend. This signifies that she has moved on completely. What I love about the video is its aesthetics. It makes the video look wonderful and gives it another level of depth. It’s not your typical ballad video, but the way everything came together (camera shots, transitions, filters, editing etc.) really captured the emotions from both her acting and the song itself. Just another video made for Taeyeon that makes the standard for all videos harder to reach.
I just saw a live performance on YouTube today of the song and wow. Do expect an album review to come out either later today or tomorrow.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10
It has been confirmed that Taeyeon would be releasing her first full solo album on the 28th of February (exactly 1 week from now). However, Taeyeon has unveiled a pre-release for her new album over the weekend, titled as I Got Love. Given her portfolio of hit songs ranging from I to 11:11, we can obviously expect great things from her pre-release and full album once it is released.
With that final statement, she has delivered with a completely different and unique track. It isn’t your traditional sounding track, but regardless, it sounds amazing. Like most of her songs, her vocals stand out here. That is expected now when Taeyeon releases a song. But what stands out equally is the instrumental. The instrumental oozes a very grand and fancy jazz sound. But it is also quite unconventional because it isn’t the normal jazz sound that we are used to.The chorus is non-existent. Instead, it is replaced by a simple deep drum beat mixed with a very hollow sounding tuba (I think). While this is ‘chorus’ is quite short, it goes straight to the point without dragging anything out or boring us. It can also be referred to as the highlight of the track. The buildup prior to the ‘chorus’ sounds amazing and melodic, something that you would not think would build up to this song’s chorus. But it works. Everything flowed (It sound a little disconnected but after a few listens, you realise that the sounds indeed do flow). My one major complaint with the track (and it technically is a compliment) is how fast this track was. It didn’t feel like 3 minutes at all and I was left wanting more. Maybe that was the point of the pre-release (to make me feel hyped for the full album!).
The video suited the song. What more do you need? With a much edgier sound, Taeyeon went all out to deliver with a darker and more sophisticated concept, which she successfully did in this video. Taeyeon essentially says one thing with this video: glamour. Everything from her dresses to the diamonds in the video just yells that one word out. Her gazes are hypnotising and very alluring in the video. There is a sense of mysterious already present in the video but her gazes add to it. While the diamonds do add and yell glamour to the video, I don’t really understand its backstory in the video. Could Taeyeon be releasing her secret to everything about her? Gasp… Or the diamonds could just be a physical representation of love.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 9.5/10 Overall Rating – 10/10 (You might think my maths is off here. Something that I have never said before but I do round my calculated scores to the nearest whole number or half decimal. The calculated score here is actually 9.8/10, which is a near perfect score, hence the 10/10. If you think I should post the calculated overall rating with no rounding, let me know in the comments).
After much anticipation and requests, Seohyun from SNSD or Girl’s Generation has finally made her solo debut. She joins Tiffany, Taeyeon, Yoona and Hyoyeon, who each have made their solo debut in the past. She makes her debut with a mini album, which also shares the same title as the title track, Don’t Say No. And her solo debut has proven to be a success with her song topping charts and winning awards!
I was expecting a ballad from Seohyun, not a dance song. So this song caught me off guard. But it is an amazing song to listen to. As soon as you hear the song, you notice her vocals. They sound spectacular and really suit the song. Her adlibs, at the end, really pack a punch. The instrumental is your typical pop, but with a nice touch of retro to it. This may sound like I am looking down on the song, but I would also describe as the sound as snappy and almost sassy. I mean all of that in a good way. There might be a better way to put it, but that is what I got from the song and lyrics. The chorus did an amazing job at giving the song a lift. The bridge changed the song up, giving it an edgier vibe, but still keeping to the sound of the song.Saying all of that, the verses felt a little empty and needed more of a punch to make it perfect. But even though I have written that the song still sounds amazing. That punch in the chorus and at the end does make up for it (but the differences between the parts were apparent).
The music video is okay. SM is going back to their box days with this comeback, not something I was expecting since SM have been bringing out a few good videos in the past year. While the box set wasn’t as apparent (they used an open plan for this video), it did still feel restricting. In the video, Seohyun is cooking up a storm for her partner. Just she is serving chains and bolts, not spaghetti and mushrooms. She ends up killing him (I can see why. I don’t think that meal was edible. My guess for the cause of death was lead poisoning – a lot of it). We then see his body in a coffin, by a fridge, in a graveyard. I guess she stored the body for disposal later on? Talking about the graveyard, Seohyun managed to pull off one of the wackiest outfits I have seen in KPOP in a long time (talking about her massive, floppy hat). While I debate the point of a floppy hat, I think the use of it was intentional, to give her that dark and mysterious look, telling you what she is capable of.
Thank God her clothing on the stage is tamer and less wild. Imagine dancing in that hat! She did an amazing job with the choreography. While it doesn’t technically wow you, I always felt that she was overshadowed when she performed with SNSD. It shows her off and gives you a look into her style and moves.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
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