Senin, 04 April 2011

Big Bang wins Inkigayo Mutizen again + other performances



SBS’s Inkigayo is back once again, and this week’s show was full of amazing and fun performances from the top participating K-pop artists!
As reported earlier, it was Jung Yonghwa’s last episode as MC due to other commitments, and he will be replaced by IU and B2ST’s Kikwang from next week.

MC cuts.

The ‘Take 7′ nominees for the March 13th episode of Inkigayo were IU (“The Story Only I Didn’t Know“), Lee Hyun (“You Are The Best of My Life“), Navi (“Well Done“), MBLAQ (“Again“), Big Bang (“Tonight“), G.NA (“Black & White“), and Mighty Mouth feat. Soya (“Tok Tok“). Lee Hyun was not present on today’s show due to another schedule.




Since they’ve already won four trophies through “M! Countdown” and “Music Bank“, Big Bang claimed their sixth trophy by winning the ‘Mutizen’ again on “Inkigayo”. Congratulations to Big Bang!

Other artists who performed on this afternoon’s show include Kahi, Kan Mi Youn, TEEN TOP, Kim Hyun Jung, Dalmatian, 5dolls, Song Ji Eun, Coin Jackson and Ye Ara.
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Jewelry says goodbye on ‘Inkigayo’


Jewelry made their long-anticipated comeback back in January with their lively swing-flavored single, “Back It Up“. Now, the ladies are ready to wrap up their promotions on this week’s episode of SBS’s “Inkigayo“.
To give their fans a parting gift, the girls showed off a remix version of their song. Afterwards, they’ll dive straight into preparations for their new album, which is scheduled for release in late April.
Check out their goodbye stage below!


 
 
 
 

[Review] Song Ji Eun’s “Going Crazy” and Kim Hyung Jun’s “oH! aH!”


Song Ji Eun – “Going Crazy” (feat. Bang Yong Kook)
Aside from dipping her head in blue hair color, Secret’s Ji Eun has also gone solo this month with her single, “Going Crazy,” where she has paired her thin voice with the throaty deepness of Bang Yong Kook’s rap.  A rather interesting combination, but the two actually blended well enough to pull this song off.
“Going Crazy” opens with Ji Eun in the comfort of the soft spot of her voice (i.e. whispering) over a nice piano line.  The rest of the song floats along the same plane with an occasional intrusion of rap that has, admittedly, thrown off the flow of this song for me by a hair.
The simplest way to put it is by describing this song as a “Bang Yong Kook song featuring Ji Eun” instead of the way it’s supposed to be.  There’s just not enough of Ji Eun’s lovely voice to satisfy my appetite; not to mention that she’s basically restricted to repeating the same lines over and over again.  Okay, the structure levels out by the middle of the song, but it wouldn’t hurt to sand the edges down a little.
This, of course, is in no way a diss to the rapper, because he does a fine job of balancing out the low ends of this song, and these kinds of rap-meets-pop tunes fare well among the best of us.  Relating to that point, “Going Crazy” has become a popular tune in my music library.
I hope to hear Ji Eun give a spicy up-tempo a try, because she sounds amazing when she’s going crazy on the dance floor to songs like “Magic” and “Madonna”, both songs with as much energy as Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love.”
4.6/5



Kim Hyung Jun – “oH! aH!
Kim Hyung Jun’s single “oH! aH!” has scurried onto the scene recently as one of the cleanest, prettiest, and utterly addicting male idol songs of the month.
Kim made an appearance in the last bundle of reviews a couple of weeks ago, and because I wasn’t patient enough for the release of the entire mini album, the chances of a full “My Girl” review have flown out of the window. However, here’s another song that has caught my attention and will probably turn heads for first-time listeners.
“oH! aH!” is a great example of the kind of appeal a good Korean pop song possesses, and what I’d say drew me into the craze to begin with.
For a lack of better words, it’s all in the production; this song’s use of synths and ambience is absolutely gorgeous, and they seem to absorb Kim Hyung Jun’s voice by a mysterious osmosis and lift the entire feel of this song into the air.  More impressive is the way this song unfolds and climbs from one verse to the next.  I wasn’t even expecting a rap line, and because this song’s pace was so mellow in stride and subtle in delivery, there was no way of anticipating it.  Yet, it fit right in like it was just meant to be there.
When a song has this much breathing room and such a feel-good tone, how can one possibly not enjoy it?
5/5



What are your thoughts on these singles?

Suggestions for a future review?  Hit the author up on Twitter (@rothsresidence) or via e-mail (arnold.arteaga@allkpop.com)!

Note: This article does not reflect the opinions of allkpop, only of the author.

Who are the Top 100 in K-pop for 2011?



Who will make the list of K-pop’s power 100 for 2011?
On March 16th, Korea’s only pop music book/magazine, “Pop Music SOUND Volume 2“, released a list of the Top 100 K-pop powers.
Check out some of the rankings below!

1) Lee Soo Man
2) Park Jin Young
3) Yang Hyun Suk
4) Mnet Media
5) Seo Taiji
8) Cho Yong Pil
13) Kim Chang Whan
14) SNSD
20) Yoo Hee Yeol
28) Big Bang
32) Jang Ki Ha
40) Lee Moon Sae
50) Yoon Jong Shin
51) Rain
58) Lee Seung Chul
66) Kim Jang Hoon
70) TVXQ
72) Shin Hae Chul
80) 2NE1
88) Yoon Do Hyun
90) Crying Nuts
92) BoA
92) Boohwal’s Kim Tae Won
99) Lee Juck
100) Lucid Fall

The Top 100 K-pop powers were selected by 86 music critics, pop music newspaper reporters, music broadcast representatives, heads of music portal sites, musicians, album producers, engineers, and other specialists.
Source: TV Daily via Nate

Big Bang wins triple crown on M! Countdown + other performances



Mnet’s M! Countdown is back with another weekly fun-filled music show and awesome performances.
Besides the usual performances, there were comeback performances from Wheesung, Girl’s Day, ZE:A, LPG, and INFINITE. Meanwhile, actor Kim Soo Hyun got on stage for a special one-time performance of his popular “Dream High” OST song, “Dreaming.”
It was a battle between K-Will, Big Bang, and Song Ji Eun for the #1 spot on M! Countdown today, and in the end, it was Big Bang who grabbed the triple crown with their third consecutive win.
Congratulations to Big Bang on another win!


Top 20 charting songs.


Other performers who stood on stage this evening included Lee Hyun, Kan Mi Youn, MBLAQ, Song Ji Eun, Kim Hyun Jung, Kim Hyung Jun, and Na Yoon Kwon.







INFINITE returns with ‘Nothing’s Over’ on M! Countdown


INFINITE has made a swift comeback through this week’s ’M! Countdown‘.
Shedding their dark “Before the Dawn” concept, the boys went with a playful and romantic look for “Nothing’s Over“ to coincide with the upcoming spring season.
Their title track was produced by composer Han Jae Ho and lyricist Kim Seung Soo, who’s both known for producing all of INFINITE’s title tracks in the past.  The two focused on bringing out the emotions of the lyrics with an easy melody and a unique sound.
Check out their comeback stage below which also includes “Shot!”


 
 
 

LPG makes an “Angry” comeback on M! Countdown


Trot girl group LPG has made their comeback on this week’s Mnet’s M! Countdown.
LPG made a comeback with a remake of Yolanda Be Cool & DCup’s hit track, “We No Speak Americano“! The original track was much-loved and ranked first on 20 different charts in 16 nations, and even recorded 10 million views on YouTube.
Chan Music revealed, “LPG came up with new sounds and new lyrics for their remake, titled ‘Angry.’ There were a lot of artists in Korea that wanted to remake the track, but through a long and consistent effort, LPG has earned the rights to remake it.”




ZE:A declares “Here I Am” on M! Countdown


ZE:A has officially kicked off their round of comeback promotions through today’s episode of Mnet’s ‘M! Countdown‘!
Their title track, “Here I Am,” is an up-beat urban pop track with an addictive hook that brings out the happiness of love. For their performance, the boys decided to swap out their aggressive, masculine images for a more romantic and suave one.
Before the broadcast, the boys expressed their determination to win the top spot. “While preparing for this album, all of us banded tightly together. We’re determined to work to the death in order to win #1 on a music program. There are a lot of other talented teams, but we hope to captivate the hearts of our fans with our lovely new image and show our fans that we can win #1. We’ll be working hard, so please look forward to our transformations.”
Check out their comeback stage below which also includes “Be My Girl!”


Source: Sports Seoul via Naver





[Review] “Before You Go” by TVXQ


Because TVXQ is TVXQ, promotions for their 2011 comeback album, “Why (Keep Your Head Down)“, are still plowing through the first half of the year, and they will likely extend beyond April, as the boys have released their repackaged album this week with the (very) hot new addition of their current promo track, “Before You Go.”
When TVXQ releases a sexy R&B number, it’s hard not to gush over them (because past singles like “Tonight” were simply breathtaking), and it has really been a while since our last taste. So when “Before You Go” began its first few spins, several thoughts crossed my mind – most of them praise related and there was minimal criticism.
“Before You Go” is littered with falsetto flairs and powerhouse melodies that feels like an intentional throwback to the mid-2000s R&B style of SM Entertainment’s Yoo Young Jin (singer/songwriter and producer), but there’s enough of a kick (or perhaps a few kicks and an uppercut right to the kisser) to bring this song into the now.
TVXQ – or more accurately, Changmin and Yunho – need not have their vocal ability picked apart, because they are exceptionally brilliant singers in their own right, and that explains exactly why not a single recording engineer or producer ever dares to mess with their voices, at least not as severely as we’ve gotten used to hearing in pop music today. However, what listeners will hear in “Before You Go” is a more raw vocal performance – this being a slow tempo song and everything – and the lack of the meatiness that JYJ brought to the group.
The producers have layered Changmin and Yunho’s voices like crazy, and both singers have done an impressive job of expanding their range to cover all of their bases, but still, a five-part harmony would absolutely slaughter this type of song. Yeah, we’ve had enough time to listen to TVXQ without the mids, but there’s far more material WITH the other three and it’s just difficult to restrain the wandering ‘what ifs’ in our (or just my) conscious while indulging in what is already blissful ear-candy.
As far as the actual style and delivery of this song goes, there’s something about TVXQ that everyone should understand: they can sing everything. Personally, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are able to musically sell any given style or genre at 100%, and that’s kind of the case with me and “Before You Go.”
TVXQ pulled this song off, that’s a given, but they fell just a hair short in the believability of this particular style. There’s a certain soulfulness that goes hand in hand with these songs, and I’m not completely getting that from TVXQ in this. I can say the same for SM The Ballad’s “Hot Times,” which sounds a lot like this song, but this is supposed to be pop, and pop it is.
Will I shun “Before You Go” to the left? No, but this is clearly a boy band singing an R&B song rather than an R&B ensemble singing R&B. There’s nothing really wrong with that, at least not with these two, as they will generally kill it every time.

4.8/5




What are your thoughts on this single?

Suggestions for a future review? Hit the author up on Twitter (@rothsresidence) or via e-mail (arnold.arteaga@allkpop.com)!

Note: This article does not reflect the opinions of allkpop, only of the author.

Big Bang wins Music Bank K-Chart triple crown + other performances



Music Bank is back once again with a fun and exciting show filled with amazing performances!
Besides the usual performance stages, Wheesung, INFINITE, ZE:A, Girl’s Day, and Han Groo all made their comebacks, while TVXQ began their follow-up promotions. Elsewhere, Bella made their debut, while T-ara returned for another collaboration with 5dolls.
It was Big Bang up against Lee Hyun for the K-Chart tonight, and it was the former who clinched their K-Chart triple crown! Congratulations to Big Bang who just can’t stop winning!



Other performers included MBLAQ, K-Will, Song Ji Eun (feat. Bang Yong Guk), J-Cera, Kim Hyung Jun, Lee Jung, M4, Sori (feat. Crispi Crunch), M to M, Seong Jin Woo, and Lahsi.









T-ara & 5dolls collaborate once again for ‘Music Bank’


T-ara’s Eunjung, Hyomin and Jiyeon are back for yet another collaborative stage with their labelmates, 5dolls, for this week’s episode of KBS’s “Music Bank“!
Contrary to what was performed two weeks back, the two groups delivered a remix version of 5dolls’ “I Mean You“, which gave fans a delightful new spin on a climbing favorite.
Check it out below!


 
 
 

ZE:A declares “Here I Am” on Music Bank


ZE:A has officially kicked off their round of comeback promotions through today’s episode of KBS’s ‘Music Bank‘!
Their title track, “Here I Am,” is an up-beat urban pop track with an addictive hook that brings out the happiness of love. For their performance, the boys decided to swap out their aggressive, masculine images for a more romantic and suave one.
Before the broadcast, the boys expressed their determination to win the top spot. “While preparing for this album, all of us banded tightly together. We’re determined to work to the death in order to win #1 on a music program. There are a lot of other talented teams, but we hope to captivate the hearts of our fans with our lovely new image and show our fans that we can win #1. We’ll be working hard, so please look forward to our transformations.”
Check out their comeback stage below, which also includes “Be My Girl“!


Source: Sports Seoul via Naver



Girl’s Day returns with “Twinkle Twinkle” on Music Bank


Girl’s Day has been exceeding the expectations of many, and as a rookie group, that’s truly a hard accomplishment to achieve.
After getting an exclusive sneak-peek from DreamTea Entertainment at Girl’s Day’s fresh concept photos earlier this week, fans were left speechless by the radical transformation that preceded the group’s newest release, “Twinkle Twinkle“.
The song features a cute, bubbly tune which has already been winning the hearts of many, and with the girls’ return to the stage today on the March 18th episode of “Music Bank“, things are certainly looking up. Check out the girls as they “Twinkle Twinkle” for you!

And don’t forget to unlock the Girl’s Day “Twinkle Twinkle” Comeback badge for a chance to win an autographed t-shirt and cd!




Han Groo returns with “My Boy” on Music Bank


Having made her debut earlier this year with “Witch Girl“, female solo artist Han Groo is back on today’s Music Bank with her second single, “My Boy“.
While the singer previously showed off a darkly charming look with “Witch Girl”, she flipped her image to become a lovely diva with a sweet message for her boyfriend.
“My Boy” is a trendy synth-pop track with a powerful shuffle rhythm and a unique sound that works in hand with Hoony Hoon’s guest rapping, all of which come together with Han Groo’s smooth vocals.
Check out her comeback stage below!





Bella debuts with “Don’t Let Go” on Music Bank


Late last month, Apple Entertainment introduced their new girl group trio ‘Bella’ to the music industry, and they’ve finally made their debut on this week’s broadcast of KBS’s ”Music Bank“.
Comprised of members Lucy (leader), Kani, and Miu, the trio aims to provide fresh music through the perfect harmonization of their voices, combined with a cute and sexy image.
Their title track, “Don’t Let Go”, is a cover of En Vogue’s 1996 hit single, “Don’t Let Go (Love)” from the ‘Set It Off’ OST.
Check out their debut stage below!