CLC reinvent themselves with (Hob)Goblin

Cube is fucked. But that doesn’t mean they can’t release new content for their acts. The first to make an official comeback for the company is heir girl group CLC, who are still looking for their big break in.

Okay…well…let’s get the elephant out of the room.

4Minute-Crazy

It should be pretty obvious that Cube Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V 4Minute’s 2014 effort down to several parts. The major differences being the fashion choices (the colorful/unique CLC vs the more mature but unified monochromatic 4Minute), more filter choices (various colors, vibrancies CLC vs once again, monochromatic 4Minute), and the choreo. Still everything else feels a play by play of what the disbanded group already did. Song starts with the chorus, rapped verse, small sung part, prechorus, chanting chorus, repeat, bridge (Admittedly better than Crazy’s), final chorus. Now you can argue

Getting away from the far too obvious comparison, on first listen I wished the song was just…a little bigger. Like it had something, but not enough of it. I liked the chorus from the jump, but I kind of didn’t see it for the verses northe pre-chorus. Sorn and Seunghee lacked a lot of force needed. They sound very new to the style, which harks back to the whole 4MINUTE comparison.

Things I did like: the song is different for now. A lot of groups have been very much on the cute train, and while it has given many success, it is obviously about to run its course. That being said, the options for concepts are limited. CLC returning as the edged up bad girls is fun. I do think that the group could be a little more invested, as some seem to be more into it than others, but overall, the niche is empty and Cube rarely upsets me like that. Also some of the ladies do stand out, namely Sorn (although I am not impressed with her parts, she has the look), Seungyeon, Yeeun, and Yujin (who oddly enough is still cute).

Goblin hopefully starts a new journey for CLC. While some of their early songs were nice, Goblin definitely gives the group a new space to work from. With time, they can work out the kinks, and unify the sound while also carving their own niche in it. However will it last for the group is what I worry about. This could very well be a flash in the pan for them, and if so…well at least it happened.

 

Seohyun’s Don’t Say No is pleasant but not enough

SNSD is three members into the whole solo thing. Well technically two, but I’m putting bets on Hyoyeon making a full fledged ep later in the year. Right now however, Seohyun is the one in the midst of a solo debut.

AoA make the New Years bright with a double release

AoA are starting the new year after a rather tepid 2016. Determined to keep it trucking, the group have released their first full album with a double feature.

My thoughts about the group have always been very cordial and positve. Their 2014-2015 releases had been some of my favorites from them. I enjoyed Heart Attack. I didn’t even really hate Good Luck, but the thrill about AoA is that they are kind of that group that is hot, but will likely never break past that barrier. Which is fine, but it leaves them continuing to make songs that are enjoyable, easily digestible, but not at all challenging to them. Which is fine. I don’t want to sit here and pretend I value artistic integrity when I will slam most of those “efforts” more often than not. Instead I value a change of pace. While AoA are limiting their comebacks now (because they can afford to), it makes their pop more valuable, but ultimately I don’t miss it.

With that being said, both Excuse Me and Bing Bing fall into that. Excuse Me is definitely the winner of the two tracks, and I will likely have it some where on the end of year list. Bing Bing unfortunately doesn’t have that such luck.

Jessica seems to breeze by with the light Wonderland

K Pop elite Jessica Jung has done what very few have done. After being removed from her own group in 2014, she has found her career in thriving form just two years later. At the beginning of the year she released her first ep With Love, J. While not my favorite, and far too cheesy of a song, Jessica did a great job of introducing herself to the Korean public.

Deciding to not let her music career die down, she released her second ep just this morning. A wintery mix called Wonderland, with a single titled the same thing.

 

B.A.P. return to form with 10 minute video of Skydive

Boygroups are like a repellent for me. Boygroups who are “hip hop” concept are even worse. So it is already a struggle for me to care. With B.A.P. they have just kind of existed since I took noticed of them. They tend to dip between oyous frivilous pop sounds and more “edgier” darker melodies. But in all of it they tend to have a more lively feel to their music and grow with it. With this being their third comeback this year, it seems they are scratching off that bad boys kind of sound with Skydive.

Hyorin falters with underwhelming Paradise

Hyorin is my number 1 in K pop. She has everything that I want in an idol and musically, her releases have always been some of my personal faves (Love & Hate the album was a very solid intro record). So you can imagine how excited I am for Hyolyn’s return!
So the build up has been nice. We got two other tracks Love Like This and One Step. Both more subdued. Then Paradise happens, and it sounded like the lead single that I was waiting for. And yeah…

Mamamoo’s Decalcomanie is a lesson in the worst way

Mamamoo are on a high right now with the amount of success they have achieved since their debut over the last couple of years. Coming in as one of the stronger vocal based groups of the new generation that have made themselves standout with vocal focused, R&B and big band influenced pop. Their new song Decalcomanie strives to be memorable with a more forward blend of their past efforts.

Warning: After this video includes images of assault. Solar (and Hwasa) are depicted as being forced into a kiss with Solar’s character being seen actively struggling against the male lead. I will also be discussing them later in the review so be mindful. 

TWICE’s TT ups consistency but lacks finesse

After having one of the most successful years I have ever seen, TWICE have returned with a new ep and title track titled TT. Based off the crying emoji T_T, the song tales a girl who wants more of a relationship that is obviously not coming.

As I write this (at 2:01 pm EST), I find myself still puzzled where I stand with this song. I like parts of it, dislike some and then not knowing exactly what to think about others.

At 6:05 PM EST, I think I have come to a conclusion.

BTS put a lot of effort into a video for a song that is okay

 

Because BigHit doesn’t seem to think there is a problem with it, BTS are back with another full album (titled Wings) and the lead track to be promoted is called Blood Sweat and Tears. A supposedly romantic track about what sounds like a broke ass love…I don’t know. I am just kind of here to write the review. Let’s get to it.

I feel like…There is a lot to be said…and most of it is not about the song. So let’s get into it!

Ladies’ Code move forward with The Rain

Navigating Ladies’ Code musically feels like something that will take a lot of time. After a quiet but likable return with Galaxy at the beginning of the year, and Sojung’s stint on the show Girl’s Spirit (which I will eventually make a post about), LC have thankfully decided to not wait too long before gracing the masses with a new song.