DBSK [Rising Sun] (Second Korean Album)

Tonight
Beautiful Life
Rising Sun (순수)
바보 (Unforgettable)
네가 허락할테니 (Love Is Never Gone)
Love After Love
Dangerous Mind
One
Love Is…
Free Your Mind (feat. TRAX)
작은 고백 (Love Is All I Need)
약속했던 그때에 (Always There…)

The album starts off with the kick ass Tonight. I’m sorry, but I am really about to fangirl. This is in my opinion and I really mean this, this song right here is the best and I mean best vocal performance from DBSK ever, I really don’t care who agrees with me and who does not, that is what I think. I mean no other song by them (all right, I’ll admit ‘kiss shita mama, sayonara awed me as well) has captured me so completely in terms of sheer vocal prowess. I didn’t really care for DBSK at first, in truth I didn’t really aknowledge them as singers; I don’t too much care for male K-pop group singers, but this song changed my mind. It really did. I love how they decided to do this song in a live setting, it was just so appropriate and really made me connect with it more. The vocal performances… were just so good, they were so good. I mean Junsu and JaeJoong really brought it, but I must say ChangMin was definitely keeping up with them and he has the highest register, higher than even Junsu’s. I don’t recall hearing YunHo, but that’s to be expected since this song was a bit out of his league and YooChun’s as well, though his English was very questionable: ‘i love you more than i do’ yeah, YooChun. I loved this song so much I listened to it everyday and one time I was listening to it at my god sisters house and she walked into the room and said: ‘who are them Asian guys blowing like that?’ This is one of their best songs, hands down and a great start to the album.

The next track on the album is the casual Beautiful Life. This song is one in which I never quite paid attention to, so I never really noticed how nice it was. I love the light rnb of the arrangement, it just makes you want to give way to a smile. I don’t know–just be content with life as is; it fills you with a nice and easy-going feeling. Their vocal performances were also pretty good in this, though I noticed they were over doing it quite a bit and I found it unnecessary for a song like this.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo Rising Sun (순수). This wasn’t the first song by them I heard, but it was the one that piqued my interest. I liked the Japanese video better, because the Korean version honestly made no sense to me. I however love the Korean version of the song, because it just did not translate well to Japanese. The arrangement is quick, yet consistent and it really pumps you up and makes you excited. The vocal performances were strong  my favorite parts being ChangMin’s I also really liked his parts in the video. Hot. I thought the rap segments were hilarious: ‘i burn my eyes?’ er… okay. I really disliked the break part in the song, it was really cheesy to me, but other than that this is one of my favorite up-tempo songs from them, its always a fun listen.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo 바보 (Unforgettable). I don’t know what I was expecting from this song, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. The arrangement is nice, but a bit bland and seems to become background noise as the song progresses. The vocal performances were pretty good, I really didn’t have a problem with them, its just that this song is really boring.

The next track on the album continues the down-tempo’s with 네가 허락할테니 (Love Is Never Gone). This song sounds really familiar. I had at first thought I wasn’t going to like this, despite my interest being piqued by JaeJoong’s, ‘love is never gone’ it just started out a bit slow, then came the chorus and I was sold. The vocal performances were good and very sincere, but it all seemed very awkward and a little unbalanced, as if there was no structure. It made the arrangement sound very airy and nearly turned me off the track. This is a nice song though, the chorus is quite good.

The next track bumps the pace up to about mid-tempo with Love After Love. This is a neat little song, but I don’t really like it. I was surprised by how this song turned out, since I actually expected it to be a bit more on the down-tempo ballad side. They threw in a bit of edge, rnb and synth and made a somewhat addicting little track. The verses I can’t recall, but the chorus is definitely engaging and the vocal performances from all involved were good. However, I don’t like the flow of this song or the fact that it seems to just end. Its like the minute I get into it, its over. It seems to just fly straight over your head an that in turn makes it unmemorable.

The next track brings on the edge with Dangerous Mind. This song started on quite a frightening note and I feel as lame as this song because of that. The arrangement sounds like sound check at the garage, its so elementary and basic. The vocal performances were ‘meh’ seriously, I really didn’t like anyone’s vocal performances and I absolutely loathed YunHo’s and YooChun’s rather corny rap-tongue twister segments. This is such a weak song, seriously.

The next track thankfully brings the pace back down with One. This song really sounds like something that a group over here in the States would do, I nearly died laughing when the defunct group O’Town popped into my head. The arrangement is simple and appropriate. The vocal performances were good, harmonies spot on during the chorus, though I would have liked to hear more, since they’re certainly capable of it. JaeJoong seemed to be the only one giving it his all, if that high note he hit is any indication. This is a good song, though they have better ballads.

The next track on the album is the light Love Is…. I got into DBSK during their Banjun dramas when they first started out. I use to always hear this song and be like: ‘what song is this from them?’ this song is really quite the pop track and despite the arrangement not doing much of anything, there seems to be a lot going on in the background while the guys are singing. Junsu’s vocal performance stood out the most, I didn’t really catch on to any of the others. This is a cute track and a nice listen, though it played better during their Banjun dramas, it just sounds a bit weak now and not all that interesting.

The next track on the album is the somewhat up-tempo Free Your Mind (feat. TRAX). This song is pretty lame to me, I don’t know I just didn’t really care for it. The arrangement was rather limp, played like air and was all around uninteresting. I can’t recall the vocal performances or even hearing the TRAX. This song is forgettable at best.

The second to last track on the album is the warm 작은 고백 (Love Is All I Need). This song really makes you feel a very contented type of love, as if love is really all you need. I got such a BSB’s vibe from this song, I mean when they sing the first part of the chorus the line: ‘but my love is all i have to give’ just swam through my mind and it just wouldn’t leave. It actually makes me want to go listen to some BSB’s right now. This song doesn’t really stand-out, but its a nice listen with some pretty good vocal performances all around.

The last track on the album is the acapella sung 약속했던 그때에 (Always There…). I’m not a fan of DBSK’s acapella tracks… well, Tohoshinki’s anyways. They always come across as so wasteful. This on the other hand was pretty good, though after a while it can get a bit tedious.

-GRADE: A-
Rating: **1/2 stars

DBSK’s second album Rising Sun was still good this umpteenth listen, but a bit underwhelming at the same time. I’m more of a fan of their Korean music, that’s honestly no secret. This is one of my favorite albums from them, but I’m kind a wishing they would have brought it a bit harder than this, it seems a bit safe. The only songs that really seem to push the limit and stand-out are: Tonight and Rising Sun the rest are pretty mellow compared to those two. I did enjoy Beautiful Life despite the over-singing and their down-tempo tracks were pretty good, definitely loved the romantic, caring and warm vibes they all exuded. Rising Sun is a pretty good listen, though don’t expect too much from it, it offers only so much.

DBSK [MIROTIC] (Fourth Korean Album)

Jumun (MIROTIC) (주문; Spell)
Wrong Number
Noeul..Baraboda (노을..바라보다; Look at..The Sunset)
CRAZY LOVE
HEY! (Don’t Bring Me Down)
Neon Naeui Norae (넌 나의 노래; You’re My Melody)
Mujigae (무지개; Rainbow)
Nagweon (낙원; Paradise)
Aknyeo (Are you A Good girl?) (악녀; She-devil)
Flower Lady
잊혀진 계절 (Forgotten Season)
Love in the Ice

The album starts off with the infectious dance club anthem Jumun (MIROTIC) (주문; Spell). This is a pretty sexy and aggressive song, I’d have to admit. The arrangement is like fire, and I like how experimental it is. Its like rock and rnb intertwined. The vocal performances were pretty interesting, JaeJoong and Junsu being the main vocalists. They would sort of sing-say the verses, and then all together for the chorus which was pretty sexy in a dangerous kind of way. I really loved the: ‘under my skin’ parts of it. I didn’t like YunHo’s rap. Its no secret that YunHo can’t rap, and he always comes across as sounding so stupid. I prefer YooChun, even though he can’t rap either. I’m not sure who hit the high note, but I didn’t like that either, it seemed so out of place, and just seemed to come out of nowhere. I think this is one of those songs I’ll like one minute and dislike the next. In truth, I think this is a really good and addicting dance track and a good start to the album.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo Wrong Number. Ooh, I really like this song. I didn’t expect to like this and I also didn’t expect it to go the way it did. The arrangement is very experimental, its like a siren or a beep or something, that comes at you loudly and then fades away quickly. It was very strange, but unique and consistent. It also sounded familiar, like I’ve heard it before. I really loved the vocal performances, I’m so glad they kept to basic tones and didn’t try to do too much, it brought a lot of personality to this song, that would have been lost otherwise. I love the chorus: ‘you’ve got the wrong number/so don’t call me anymore…’ Its so clever, I love it. I’ve wanted to say that plenty of times. I’m glad they put my feelings into words. Note: JaeJoong rapped OMFG! Epic!

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Noeul..Baraboda (노을..바라보다; Look at..The Sunset). This song is pretty mellow and nice. I thought the arrangement was really lovely. It sounds like a mixture of rnb and classical music, because of the arrangement and then the whole just intimate flow of the song. The vocal performances were really good. In truth I only heard JaeJoong and Junsu, I can diffrentiate between the two because Junsu’s voice is a lot stronger. The chorus was the highlight of the song. I didn’t so much like the high note Junsu threw in there, or the fact that just like the previous song this beat just sounds so freaking familiar. This is still a nice and endearing down-tempo track from them.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo CRAZY LOVE. This song is pretty interesting, it sounds like something from the 80’s, from how the beat is overly synthesized and techno friendly. It does sound like a club track, though not one you would hear in the straight clubs. I did like the arrangement in a sense, I like how it gave me the feeling that bright lights were shining on me, and how the pace is so frenzied and up-beat and energetic. The tones during the vocal performances were lightened to fit the feel of the song, I like their harmonies during the chorus, they were very in tune in together. The problem I have with this song is that it can become very cheesy, because of the whole techno influenced beat and the light tones of their vocals. It could throw some people off, it nearly threw me off. Still, its a nice fun little dance track, that is sure to get your body moving.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo HEY! (Don’t Bring Me Down). This song is pretty neat, but even so it does not change the fact that its a bit lame, and sounds like an anthem. When the song first starts off, its very aggressive, like they’re banging on garbage cans or garage doors or something. It just sounded really cheesy and wannabe to me, and also like something you’d hear in a dance off in Step Up or something. The beat stayed pretty aggressive and consistent throughout. I don’t really have a problem with it, in truth. It sounds very punk and badass. The vocal performances were decent, if not all over the place. It seemed like everyone was competing for a chance to have their voices heard, and the whole yell-singing thing they were doing with their tones was a bit irritating. I did like the chorus somewhat, though at one point in the song I can’t really remember, it was this one part where it sounded like something you’d hear in a Chris Brown song, like Kiss Kiss or Wall to Wall. I thought this song was pretty cool, a great sound and beat to dance too, but lame.

The next track on the album slows down the pace with Neon Naeui Norae (넌 나의 노래; You’re My Melody). We finally get a down-tempo track, and one in which I thought I was going to dislike. I almost did, but as I listened to the song, it grew on me. The arrangement is minimal, and hardly sounds like its there, which makes everything sound so clear. A piano plays nicely and quietly in the background; towards the latter half of the song the arrangement picks up and actually makes itself heard. The vocal performances were really good, I thought. Mostly JaeJoong (and Junsu to add the bass), who really brought a lovely fragile-ness to this song, particularly the: ‘you’re my melody’ parts, which I loved. This is quite a nice down-tempo track, if only because the chorus is so pretty sounding.

The next track is the makes no sense Mujigae (무지개; Rainbow). I liked Rainbow off their T album, so I was expecting something a bit like that. Well no, this wasn’t quite that. Rainbow off their third Japanese album was a cute dose of pop friendliness, this on the other hand is some sort of disco laced, gay club track. The arrangement just really reminds me of disco (which I loathe by the way) it’s pretty interesting in a sense, very sensual and slow, and makes you think of the 80’s like nothing else. It also has a pinch of an rnb flavor. OK! I liked the arrangement, it was the vocals that I didn’t like. Its not that their vocals are bad, its just that the way they chose to sing this song was just really annoying. I mean I never thought I’d say this, because its a very rare occurrence, but the chorus actually ruins this song for me. I also can’t stop thinking of gay guys making out in a club under flashing neon lights?

The next track on the album is the down-tempo disaster Nagweon (낙원; Paradise). When the song first started, I actually thought I was going to enjoy it… I was wrong. The arrangement is nearly non-existent and plays like a silent movie or something. I found that I didn’t even pay attention to it and thus did not care for it. The vocal performances were really… not good. Why did they sound so off-key? Am I going crazy? Either they were singing faster than the music, or the music was going too slow to the point that they couldn’t even be bothered to keep pace with it. This is a disaster of a song. Utterly forgettable.

The next track on the album is the experimental Aknyeo (Are you A Good girl?) (악녀; She-devil). This song is really weird to me. It of course has a very electronic arrangement, which seems to be the theme they’re going for for this album. Its kind of edgy, but it seems like a light and fun edgy. The vocal performances were decent, but I didn’t really care for them. This song went completely over my head. I listened to it twice and retained nothing.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Flower Lady. This song is pretty stagnant to me for some reason, but its just sweetly appealing at the same time. The arrangement is pretty minimal, but its incredibly lovely in a very quiet and serene way. I thought the vocal performances were gorgeous, even though I mostly only heard JaeJoong. I thought their harmonies during the chorus were very nice. ‘Stay with me…’ This is just a very charming and quite beautiful song. It really surprised me.

The second to last track on the album is a solo 잊혀진 계절 (Forgotten Season) by Kim JaeJoong. Ah, JaeJoong has such a gorgeous voice. I’ve always known this, but this solo as well as another solo from him Insa really shows that. The arrangement is so very lovely, it really is. Its a lovely piano melody that really plays like a beautiful dream, a beautiful yet incredibly sad dream. JaeJoong’s tone is very soft, but sure and he sings this song with such a deep melancholy in his voice and you can just feel his pain. To me it seems to tell a story of a love that has long since passed and ended, but you always find yourself thinking about that person at one particular time in a set season. I envision autumn, and JaeJoong standing alone remembering love underneath a shower of dark colored leaves.

The last track on the album is the Korean version of Love in the Ice. I do enjoy the Japanese version more, but I find that I quite like this version too.

-GRADE: B+
Rating: ** stars

DBSK’s fourth Korean album MIROTIC didn’t really ‘wow’ me like I thought it would, but it is most definitely a step up from O. The Dong Bang boys went for a not so much a more mature image, but a more sexier and in a sense manlier image. They were mature and badass in O, now they are men, comfortable in their own skin and not afraid to flaunt it. The whole effect is very eye-catching. I thought they did a good job with the tracks on this album; left the whole safe route and got more gritty and experimental as songs like: MIROTIC, Wrong Number, CRAZY LOVE and She-devil no doubt shows. It was very refreshing and interesting. I mean they have such an abstract image now, it only makes sense for their music to reflect that. I also found that I absolutely adored a few of the down-tempo songs. It amazed me how songs like: Look at… The Sunset, You’re My Melody and Flower Lady can sound so beautiful, yet be so utterly simple to the point of being over looked or forgotten. JaeJoong’s solo Forgotten Season was just the love, I really just thought he did such a good job. It stands out like how Wrong Number stood out, in surprising me in such a pleasant way. Of course they have a few downers on this track: HEY!, Rainbow, Paradise and She-devil really underwhelmed me. Its a shame, because they all had the potential to be pretty damn good, but they just didn’t come out right. MIROTIC shows perfectly how DBSK are continuing to reinvent themselves (Korean-wise) and if this album is any indication of the future, I’m too anxious for Volume 5.

AnyBand [AnyCall] (1st Single)

TPL (Talk Play Love)
Promise U
Daydream (Cover of popular German song “Scream”)

Anyband’s 1st (and most likely last) single starts off with the a-side TPL (Talk Play Love). I shouldn’t be so disappointed that there may never be a second or third single and the release of an album. I mean they were a concept group meant to promote cellphones and promote them they did because this song shot up to No. 1. I wasn’t too enthused with this idea when it first came out, mostly because it had Junsu in the group, and I didn’t want this to interfere with his DBSK/Tohoshinki duties. I really tried not to like this song, but well I obviously failed in that regard. Jin Bora displayed some really kick-ass piano skills (I wonder if she’s going to come out with some solo material, or if she has already?), I was impressed, she’s way talented. Tablo is a really good rapper, and that’s saying something because I don’t too much care for K-Rappers, or Asian rappers period. BoA of course sung her heart out, and Junsu who was the highlight really did his thing. This was a surprisingly really good and catchy song. I even found myself enjoying the video immensely, and I don’t really care for videos. They picked the right people for this collaboration, I must say.

The second track on the single is the b-side Promise U. This was also featured in the video they released. I didn’t like this song when I first heard it, and I believe it was because it sounded like BoA and her backup singers. Still though she really did a good job vocal wise on this song, and so did Junsu whose voice I just adore. Tablo was absent, and I was a little disappointed with that. Jin Bora, though she doesn’t add anything vocally really displayed some beautiful piano skills.

The third track on the album is a cover of some German song called Scream. They changed the name to Daydream. This sounds like some song you would play at a Halloween party, which I thought was kind of freaky and kind of endearing. Tablo talks at the beginning, and that’s it. The main vocals are BoA and Junsu (mostly BoA), and Jin Bora plays the piano, all lovely and Halloween-ish like. I didn’t like this song, even though it wasn’t a bad cover.

-GRADE: A
Rating: *** stars

AnyBand’s 1st single AnyCall was a really good single. I was so surprised that I enjoyed this single so much, considering I was so against it when it first came out. TPL is one of the catchiest songs I’ve ever heard, Promise U is pretty damn good for a power ballad and Daydream was a downer, but the vocals were good, I’ll give it that. I wouldn’t mind hearing some new material from them, but…yeah.

DBSK ['O' Jung.Ban.Hub] (Third Korean Album)

‘O’- Jung.Ban.Hub
You’re My Miracle
Hey! Girl
Get Me Some
I’ll Be There
White lie… (re-released version)
Remember
The Story Has Just Begun
ON&ON
Phantom
You Only Love
Balloons

The first track is the up-tempo and frenzied, ‘O’- Jung.Ban.Hub. It took awhile for this song to grow on me, and I’m glad it eventually did, because it’s just so much fun. I love the beginning, because I always picture YunHo in the lives, blowing powder or feathers from his hand, and it always makes me smile. The arrangement is chaotic, and I love it, because it doesn’t slow down, it keeps going. I love how you are bombarded with so many different sounds, and the whole effect just brings this song to life. The vocals are great, as usual; you have high notes, low-notes, mid-tempo notes–OK, I did think JaeJoong’s ‘oh’ part towards the end was pointless, but the way the song goes out? Perfect.

The next track is the mid-tempo, You’re My Miracle. I love the beginning, Junsu’s vocals are just lovely, and then it goes straight into the song. This track as a tendency to be incredibly cheesy, ‘you’re my miracle’, but at the same time incredibly heartwarming. I love the arrangement, very sweet, and the vocals, though here and there are good as well.

Next up is one of my favorite DBSK tracks, Hey! Girl. A nice, smooth and very sexy little rnb number, that really showcases the boys vocal talent; especially JaeJoong and Junsu, who really blew me away with their tones. I love the arrangement, very sensual, but light enough so that it doesn’t override and become distracting. I wish they would do rnb more often, they do it so well, and their voices shine a lot more.

The next track is the mid-tempo, Get Me Some. I really expected not to like this song, but it’s very hard-hitting, and Junsu has the main vocals, what’s not to love? I love how assertive it is, very aggressive, and the vocal performances from all involved were spot-on. I could have done without the basic arrangement though. ‘Get me some, I got to get me some of that!’ What? What is this ’some’ you have to get!?

DBSK slows it down with the ballad, I’ll Be There. DBSK has some great ballads, but for some reason this song is very anticlimactic. It gives you the impression that it should be more grander than it is, but it just stays at the same pace, which in most cases work, but in this case is very frustrating. The bridge actually saved this song, because all the different sounds and harmonies, were just wonderful.

The next track is a bonus track from the re-released version of O, White lie…. In my opinion they could have kept this uneventful song, because for a ballad it’s terribly boring. I did like the arrangement, it’s very pretty, and the vocals aren’t all that bad, if flat. But other than that it’s a total bore-fest.

The next track, Remember is even more forgettable than, White lie…. It’s so BORING. I love DBSK’s ballads, but honestly, it’s like they put no effort into this song, it just goes over your head, and you’re left wondering if you were listening to a song, or monotonous sound?

This next song is the perfect example of not having much going for it, but that being what makes it sparkle in the end. The Story Has Just Begun is a good song, because it’s like they are telling a story. It’s somewhat slow-paced and the beat is mellow and nice, the vocals are good as well, especially towards the end, where I believe JaeJoong really gets into the song.

DBSK has a rather healthy array of down-tempo tracks on this album, and the next one is no different, the ballad ON&ON is rather sad. I mean they say, ‘my love for you goes on and on and on’ but at the same time, it just feels like a love that has ended, and they’re saying that even though, they will always love this person. Beautiful vocals and arrangement. A moving song, and officially one of my favorite DBSK songs.

The next track, Phantom is very interesting, and I really like it, because it seems like a more tamer version of ‘O’. It’s in the same vein as their songs, DARKNESS EYES and DEAD END, because it’s so kick-ass. I definitely love the vocal performances; rock-edged and assertive, their harmonies were spot on as well, and the arrangement fit right in. Nice track.

Thankfully the last down-tempo track on the album. You Only Love, is rather tame. It plays acappella with minimal arrangement. The vocal performances really bring justice to this song, despite them not really doing much with their tones, or going anywhere. It’s a nice song.

The last song on the album is the high energy, Balloons. This is one of my all-time favorite DBSK songs, because it’s so fun. All the vocal performances from Junsu down to YunHo were just love; the arrangement is very carnival, kids birthday-like, and it just gives you this feeling of youth, and nostalgia. It’s a lively and fun song, one of their best and a perfect ending to the album.

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

‘O’ – Jung.Ban.Hap is my least favorite DBSK album, but it’s not a bad album; it’s pretty good, though compared to their previous two Korean albums, this is a step down or two. There are way too many slow songs on this album, which wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t come one after the other, putting you in a right stupor, despite some of them being better than others.  I loved Hey! Girl, which is the stand-out track on this album, and a welcome relief from their typical pop, ballads or rock songs. I thought O was a great start to the album, and I loved how they ended it on one of their most well known songs, Balloons: ‘O’ – Jung.Ban.Hap is not as strong as their previous Korean albums, but it is still a good album. DBSK sure are good at what they do, and they prove again and again, that they aren’t just pretty faces.