Review: BAP - Rain Sound

So...

If everything goes well, this blog will be my last before I leave. Ever since I watched the Kpop Music Monday for I Got A Boy, I realized that most of the comments Simon and Martina made about the song were also included in my review which I had released earlier. So right now I'm tempted to run around yelling "Simon and Martina agrees with me!!! Fangirl moment, kyaaaa!!!!".

                                 


Music Video
BAP is back with a brand new album. Can I just say how glad I am to see them finally ditch the whole cutie concept? No offense, but they really were so not cut out to do aegyo.I still get nightmares from reviewing Stop It. Lol, just kidding. But seriously.

The beginning of the music video was shot beautifully, and all the members did really well in looking properly anguished for their part. I mean, you could actually see tears in their eyes. There were also some added special effects which seemed to be added intentionally to mess up the quality of the video, but makes much more sense when you know the lyrics. You see two reflected sides of Yongguk when he raps about two empty cups of coffee, one the guy's and the other the girlfriend's. And of course there was the grainy Super-8 film movie effect when they talk about black and white films. It's typical for BAP music videos to add delicious little details like these, and I love it.

Kyaaa, Zelo looked so hot!!! He really matured in the short time between releasing albums and I have to say, he does angst really well. Oh hell, I'm sounding like a pedonoona again. Ahem, allow me to rein myself in.

I suppose this counts as quite an artsy fartsy video. Fot the first part of the video, it was shot in an old hospital that was abandoned after Yongguk trashed the place and scared off everyone. There were mood colors and dim lighting for that emo effect, so you can see how much effort was put to making this video as depressing as possible. Also there were mannequin parts scattered all over the place and the way the members interacted with them was totally not creepy at all. Himchan sets one on fire and Youngjae even falls in love with one and tries to bring it to life by hooking it up with some weird chlorophyll infused IV just like Frankenstein.

 Love conquers all, even non-animation.

Speaking of weird colored IVs infused with plant essence, how come the rain was green too? Even the tap water in the flower jug was green. Do they live in some alternate universe where water is green? If that's the case, since cells are made up of 70% water, shouldn't the boys be green too? Sorry, that's the nerd in me talking. After all, the alien barf in Power was green too. Maybe they just like green. Maybe there is some hidden symbolic meaning for all that green.

 Mother Nature is crying. Either that or she's taking a leak.

The last part of the video was a black and white setting where the members stand in the dessert in front of a project made up of chairs and tables that they put together in their spare time. I thought that that was really meaningful. The background indicates that there was no more color in the guy's life after she left him, just a bland greyish white canvas. That was pretty good actually.

If there was one thing I didn't like about the video, it was the slow motion bits and the still shots. I think those parts were meant to add a dramatic effect, but frankly they were weird and really unnecessary. I think the video would have been much better without them. Also I didn't get the shooting scene at all. Besides the fact that their blood should have been green instead of red, it was kind of confusing. By shooting them, are you trying to imply that death is preferable to life without the girl? Or when she left, it was like being shot in the chest? No, I think what weirds me out is that the members can still stand around looking emo even though they were being shot repeatedly. Maybe the scene would have gone a little better if they actually showed any reaction to being shot. Maybe they could cry out, or drop to their knees in agony. Anything, instead of posing like models at a photoshoot.

Song and Lyrics 

The lyrics are pretty straight forward. The song is about a guy who fell in love with a girl and confessed to her on a rainy day. So after he broke up with her, every time it rains he is reminded of their time together and becomes this emotional wreck. Dude, what are you going to do during the monsoon?

I love this song so much I can't even tell you. The music was so heart wrenchingly sad that it almost brought tears to my eyes.  And the lyrics were straight forward enough that it didn't ruin the mood by making you have to guess what the song was supposed to mean. 

The rapping was incredible as always. For previous songs, Yongguk, with his deep voice, has always been the more favored rapper. However with the change in pace for this song, I found myself liking Zelo's rap a lot better than Yongguk's. I'm not saying he isn't good, just that his baritone rapping doesn't suit the song as well as Zelo's did. Yongguk sounded more pissed off than anything, his emotions in the song was more towards someone turning to anger to hide the turmoil inside. See, told you he was a grumpy bear.

 Zelo on the other hand, was totally spot on with the emotional angst of the song. His whispered rapping in the beginning carried all the exhaustion that comes from suppressing the pain of losing someone, and as his voice grew stronger, it was like some fragile wall was cracking and all the emotions that he was barely holding back were bursting forward. 

Kpop Music Monday has commented before that while BAP has awesome rapping, their vocals don't always fit with the feel of the song. I respectfully disagree with that statement.  I've mentioned before that I always love it when songs have parts which push members to the best of their vocal abilities, so I always thought that Daehyun's high note was the perfect climax for every song. However this song was an exception. I didn't really like the high note at the last part. I'm not saying that it was bad, just that I felt the song would have been just fine even without it. 

As for the rest of the vocals, its usually basically four members singing the entire song. Zelo and Yongguk does the rapping, Youngjae and Daehyun does the singing, Jongup and Himchan have maybe a few words for the whole song. So I'm glad to see that more parts were given to them this time round. And I gotta say, Himchan makes a pretty decent rapper. Almost as good as Yongguk, in fact. Well, maybe not. But there is definitely potential.

Dance

So the dance in this video...There is no dance, huzzah! Unless you count sliding their hands down their chest which I don't. I even tried looking up their live performances, but there weren't any. So there is absolutely nothing to say in this segment whatsoever.

As compensation, here's a kitten.

Fashion

I'm happy to see the boys are still matching hair colors, although they have changed it from blonde to dirty blonde. Still looks good though. However I didn't much like their make-up. I get it, the music video has a depressing theme, so they are supposed to look like emo boys, but guys with that much eyeliner has always rubbed on me the wrong way. So guys, next time try to tone down the make-up around the eyes.

I'm really happy to see that BAP stayed true to their punk Hip Hop roots. They look like they just came back from an underground dance battle. Their clothes have dark colors, so it looks convincingly sombre, but at the same time it still represents their style. And I love all the additional rings and necklaces.Yongguk, your earrings are friggin awesome.

I didn't like their white outfits as much, not because they were awful, but more because it was a little too old for them. Apart from Yongguk and Himchan, all the members are still in their teens, so you don't want them to look like they are already in their late twenties. Or maybe they do. I mean, BAP has to appeal to their fans as oppas, even to the fans who are actually older than them (pedonoonas), so maybe it is in their best interest to look older. Still doesn't explain your neck brace though, Daehyun.

"You cracked my neck when you stole my hoodie" *Sob*

This will be my last review for a while because in nine hours, I'll be leaving for Korea. Yay!!!! I'm going to meet SO many Kpop idols!!!!! KYA!!!!!! Ahem, anyway I'll be doing Super Junior's Break Down when I get back. I've already been putting it off for far too long. So until then y'all!

Review: U-Kiss Stop Girl

So...
I'm in a bit of a tight schedule here, because I'm trying to push out two more reviews before I leave. Still I'm a huge fan of U Kiss and I want to do this song justice. Once again, I realize that this song is about three months out of date. However thankfully this is my blog which otherwise translates to I'm allowed to write whatever the hell I want.

Music Video
Yes yes, U Kiss are officially indoors, huzzah! So they released two music videos for this song: A black-and-white version and a colored version, and I'm going to cut straight to the point and say that I prefer the black-and-white version. The truth is, the reason for that was actually because of Eli. Now don't get me wrong, I love his hair and I love his suit. Separately. But put them together and, well, blonde hair and a navy suit just doesn't go well with each other, I'm sorry. Eli, you still rock though.

Okay, okay, that wasn't the only reason. I also thought the black and white theme gave the music video a really classy and suave feel to it, while the colored version was more ordinary for me. There is not a lot to go on about the music video to be honest, except that some of the props really fit the members and how we tend to perceive them. For example, you see dependable big brother Soohyun working over time in what looks like the office, complete with coffee table and study lamp. Stylish ulzzang Kiseop has a funky retro-styled chair in his stylish room and Kevin has a......chess piece? I...don't really know what to make of that.

Song and Lyrics
This song is not a typical U Kiss styled song. In fact it isn't really a Kpop styled song in general, which is great. U Kiss are constantly changing their concepts and they have rocked every one so far. They never play it safe, and I really like that about them. That being said, I still have some reservations about this song. I mean, it is a great song, and if it wasn't for the chorus I would probably love it. Its just that the chorus kind of sounds to me like a line that a guy in a bar would use to pick up girls.

istockphoto.com

 Stop girl and in the name of love, can I buy you a drink~

U Kiss produced two versions of this song, one Korean version and one English version. Okay, first things first. I love U Kiss, but I am first and foremost a critic and the one thing I promised to be is brutally honest. Guys, you are still not at the level where you can start producing English songs. U Kiss currently has only two fluent English speakers now that AJ is still studying and they are great. But for the other members, much as it kills me to say this, their pronunciations still needs a lot of work. And producing English songs before you get the pronunciation down pat is just going to become fodder for haters, so this is not something you should take lightly. But guys, if you ever need someone to teach you English, I'd only be too happy to volunteer. =D

And yet, I still prefer the English version over the Korean one. I know, weird right? Both songs basically talk about a couple going through rough times. The girl hurts the guy, and he can't stand it anymore so he's like, you know what, lets stop pretending and just end the relationship. Even though the contents are the same, both songs express different emotions. In the Korean version, the guy is still in love with the girl so he's in a dilemma on whether or not he should end it, and he feels sorry for his girlfriend for what she's going through as well. But in the English version, the guy is more like, enough is enough, I'm done. So even though the girl is making an effort to patch things up, he's more firm about breaking up and refuses to pick up her calls and such.

The lyrical arrangement for the English version still needs some fine-tuning, but overall I felt it spoke to me more and the ability to relate to songs has always been something that I value very much. On an unrelated matter, why is it that all of U Kiss's hit songs always seem to be about a guy breaking up with his mean, manipulative, cheating girlfriend? Lets look at the list: Man Man Hani, Shut Up and now Stop Girl. I mean, yeah, its different from the usual Kpop genre of cotton candy and fluff and Kpop boys singing about being the perfect boyfriend but when your fanbase consists of 99.99% girls, you might not want to sing songs about how much you hate your girl and how she should just get up and get out of your way. That being said, for reasons I can't understand, Kiss Mes everywhere still love them, including myself. =D

Dance
I always enjoy the dances done by U Kiss, so this time was no exception. Their live performances was a little different from the dance in the music video though. I'm not sure if they changed it to make it easier, or if they thought it would look better. Whatever the reason, I liked the improved version a lot better than in the music video. What with the body rolling and hip thrusting, the dance for this song was hot, I can tell you. Tell me the truth guys, you did it for fan service, didn't you?  Its okay, you can tell me.

Hmmm....So female dancers are being added for the first time in a U Kiss music video. Scandalous indeed. Okay seriously though, I love the female back-ups. They are a great addition, and I'm also glad that they dance with the members rather than on the members, as I've seen back-ups do. However I noticed something really funny during the dance though. Other Kpop groups do this too, but I'll take this opportunity to bring it up.

During the dance, you see Kevin and Soohyun doing a solo with the dancers, and there is a point where both of them need get pretty intimate. So Kevin did a brilliant job, holding her waist and gazing at her almost lovingly. But when its Soohyun's turn, even though he performed admirably with the skinship, none of that manners hands nonsense, hilariously enough his expression couldn't be less enthusiastic. He doesn't even seem to notice that there is a girl in his arms and caressing his face.

"Sigh, I'm so freaking hungry."

I noticed this first when I watched 2PM's Back to You. Each of them had a pretty steamy scene with the female back-up dancers. The performance was sexy and the chemistry was believable. But when the cameras focused on Taecyeon, he looked almost bored, despite the scantily clad dancer pressed up against him. I think that fans worldwide would be rejoicing over the obvious lack of interest their biases are showing in the female dancers, but I'm kind of tickled by it. I mean, you have a hot girl on your arm and for once you are actually expected to get up close and personal, how can you possibly be bored??!! I got to hand it to them, Kpop idols are real professionals.
 
Fashion
Everyone have been positively gushing over Eli's awesome hair for this album. While I do agree that it is indeed awesome, I would have to say Kiseop's mohawk gets my vote. There is just something about pretty boys/girls shaving off their hair that makes them really attractive. Like Dara of 2ne1. She looked incredible throughout the I Love You promotions. So imagine my disappointment when Kiseop reverted back to his Neverland hair for their promotions. Sigh~

Dongho, I actually have no problems with your hat. However, I agree with Martina regarding the seaweed. That and the sleeveless shirt has to go.

Anyone ever took the time to watch U Kiss's live performances? You guys ever noticed Kevin's suit? Even though he didn't wear it in the music video, for the entire length of their promotions he donned the same suit that had this great huge rip at the shoulder and the side. It kind of looks like Kevin got attacked by zombies.  I mean, look at him. He looks like he barely got out alive- Omg, I just had an epiphany.

 Next time use the double tap, Kevin.

Rather than being homeless, I think U Kiss looks more like a group of survivors from a zombie attack. Why do you think they keep changing locations? Because they need to keep moving on before the zombies discover their hiding place. Need more proof? In Neverland, they were actually kidnapped by said zombies and stuffed inside a meat locker. But then they got out and escaped into the wilderness. And then they did a dance number together in the snow. But that's not the point! This time the zombies managed to take a swipe at Dongho. I mean, why else would he be missing a sleeve? Its not like someone would rip one sleeve of a perfectly good suit because they thought it would look good, right?

So for the time being they managed to squat in a reasonably swanky place, but allow me to make a bold prediction for U Kiss. By the next music video, U Kiss will homeless again. They have to be on the move, if they want to stay ahead of the zombies~

Review: BAP - Stop It

So...
I was supposed to review BAP's Rain Sound this week. I downloaded the video, watched it a gazillion times, got a good momentum going......Until I realized that most of what I wrote was actually a mindless rant about their last video Stop It. And because my rant was just too good to go to waste, I'm taking a rain check for Rain Sound (That was a pun, lol) and doing Stop It instead.

 

Music Video

Let me start off by saying how much I love BAP. They are the only rookie group that has caught my eye so far and I am such a huge fan. That is why when I watched the music video for Stop It, I think a part of me just died then and there.

And now I need a hug.

Oh, you thought I meant that in a good way? Well, sorry to disappoint. I think that was one of the dark moments in my long standing relationship with Kpop, the day I watched BAP do aegyo. Shudder~

How on earth...? I mean, when I saw the teaser photos with the rugby helmet and the boxing gloves and the smouldering looks, even when I knew that the title song was called Stop It, I fully expected it to be another aggressive, in-your-face, foot-stomping album. Instead, I got fluff-bombed by this number. It totally caught me off guard. In fact, the first time I watched it I think I spent the entire length of the video staring at it in complete disbelief.

Not a single sexy boxer scene. I've been had.

Alright, I know I'm being harsh. BAP once mentioned in a program that the reason they were testing out the aegyo concept was to please their fans who wanted to see a cuter side to them. I have to give you guys props for going through that traumatizing experience just for your fans. You guys are awesome. Babys, please don't ask BAP to do aegyo anymore. I don't understand why you people insist on making them do stuff they are clearly not comfortable with. I mean, take Bang Yongguk for instance. Every time I look at him, I'm reminded of a rather grumpy bear, in a good way of course. And although bears generally are supposed to be cute, I would like to point out that the emphasis in the term is grumpy, and not bear.

 

Pictured: Not cute.

  BAP are not cutie boys. They didn't debut as cutie boys, and they can easily coast through their entire idol career without ever touching that. And don't think I'm being prejudiced because of my anti-aegyo stand. For those who don't know or are simply choosing to ignore that fact, Yongguk is turning 23 this year. Most idols by that age have already put their aegyo days behind them because that is......just so wrong.

So about the video: Yongguk was the main star, and his role as a naughty cute prankster had more than a few cringe-worthy parts for me. Thankfully he focused more on the prankster role as opposed to the aegyo role which made it more bearable. One thing I will say about the video though, that scene where Yongguk got hit by Daehyun's car? His expression was priceless. I swear, I have only ever seen someone this happy to get run over in Tom and Jerry shows.

Except he didn't die, he just got turned into a demon (Or devil, whichever works). *Gasp* What a plot twister. Well, not really. By the way, I would like to know which supernatural programs the directors have been referring to, because I'm a regular supernatural junkie and turning into a devil after getting hit by a car still doesn't make any sense to me. Not to mention there was this tiny little detail they kind of never explained. How is it that Daehyun could see Yongguk, even though he was invisible for the rest of the video? Aha, bet you didn't expect anyone to notice that, did you TS? Unless...Daehyun is secretly an angel too!! 

But wait, if he was an angel, why the heck would he be driving a car? I pretty sure Cas never drove the Impala. Unless...Holy crap, unless Daehyun is a fallen angel, reduced to live out his life as a mortal on Earth! I mean, remember that look on his face? He literally just killed a guy, and yet he barely batted an eyelid. Looking at his expression, it's obvious his thoughts are less "Oh sh*t oh sh*it, did I just @#$%! kill that %$&* guy!!!!" and more along the lines of "Aw man, not again." 

 

This expression is inappropriate. He should be screaming in horror.

 That means it wouldn't be the first time he wiped out a human being. In fact, I bet he fell because he killed a human! Gasp! Huh, that would explain the presence of Ms Angel actually. You think she's here for Yongguk but she is in fact keeping an eye on Daehyun to prevent him from killing more people. But instead, she not only lets Yongguk kick the bucket, she even falls for him when he turns into a demon. In the end, she paid the price for it. Remember the feathers she shed at the end of the video? I think she just got demoted. Or maybe even fired! Well then again, she could just be having a bad wing day.

Speaking of Ms Angel, is it just me or did that last scene where she revealed that she could see Yongguk all along seem a little rated R? I mean, you see her caressing his face and grabbing his tail and squeezing it. You're an angel, surely you have better ways of knocking a demon out. Press two fingers against his forehead while wearing a contemplative look on your face. Snap your fingers. Hell, whack him with a baseball bat. The video is already so far removed from the restrictions of reality that practically anything works. Why are you groping him? And the fact that she wearing nothing but an oversized white shirt does not help matters either.

Oh yeah, this is...totally platonic.

The rest of the members didn't really play any significant role in the video besides vying for Ms Angel's affection and riling up Yongguk enough to play nasty pranks on them. Jongup and Zelo's classroom scene where they break down on the desks behind Ms Angel's back was very High School Musical. Why can't my class bust a move like that during lectures? So unfair. Also Himchan's role was kind of a jerk. I don't know how many people could look away from his boyish handsomeness long enough to notice that what he did with his hand against her face was technically considered a slap. That was a scumbag move, Himchan. You don't hit girls. Ever. 

Anyway, I know I kind of laid it on Daehyun for his acting, but actually he was my favorite. His part didn't call for any aegyo, but he still pulled off looking cute without over exaggerating it. So it was good. 

Song and Lyrics

The song itself didn't blow my mind to be honest. I've never heard Crash, but I listened to Warrior, Power, and No Mercy and compared to these songs, Stop It didn't exactly stand out. It was a fun beat, but it didn't shove itself in your face and force you to stop in your tracks and pay attention to it like the other songs did. It was just very, average. If there is anything I can say about the song, it's that the rapping was great as usual. Zelo is still keeping it up with his LTD rap and it seems like Yongguk can pull it off pretty well himself, although maybe not quite as LTD. I constantly marvel at how they never seem to have to breathe when they're rapping. Also, Daehyun did a mean adlib for this song. He may have been equally badass in previous songs, but I never really noticed it until now. So...Yeah, I think I'll be able to do a better review on their next comeback. Just please, no more aegyo (Shudder~). Alright, we good? Peace out.

Dance 

Since there was barely any dancing in the music video, I have been obliged to extensively study their live performances on stage. And even though I thought that the music video didn't fit their style, I thought the dance was right up their alley. The only significant dance move I saw was the hand waving gesture during the chorus, which was pretty literal given the song is called Stop It. But since it is a fun song, the dance doesn't have to be as refined as the dances for more serious songs. It was fun, infectious and showed the members just being boys and having a good time on stage. Its one of those performances which makes you want to jump up and dance along with them. Also I loved the snippets of break dancing by Jongup and Zelo scattered throughout the performance. This is definitely one of those songs where I enjoyed the live performances better than the music video.

Fashion

Where do I even begin? (=D) First off, I'm glad to see them back to being blondes again. Kpop groups almost never coordinate hairstyles, so doing so actually makes them stand out more. Nice. But Yongguk, please refrain from slicking your hair back like that. Back where I come from, we call that the "currypuff" and it is usually only seen on portly graying men on their way to work. Nah, just kidding. But seriously.

Overall, Daehyun's outfits throughout the video scored a ten out of ten for me. His suit in the beginning with the funky paint-splotched pants was cool, but that sparkly silver hoodie completely blew my mind with its awesomeness. It combines my love for both bling and hoodies, and Daehyun wears it like a boss. In fact I love it so much, I don't even have the sufficient vocabulary to describe my obsession. So we'll just leave it at that. (I want it. I WANT IT).

And not even your three-fingered ninjutsu is going to stop me.

 

I have some doubts about Himchan's flowery pants, but the real fashion terrorists here are Youngjae and Zelo. Lets start with Youngjae. First of all, round-framed glasses haven't been trendy since Harry Potter, and that nerdy blue cardigan doesn't help improve that image. Also, a safety pin headband? Really, Youngjae? I know that as a rookie group you guys are probably still short on cash, but I'm sure you don't have to resort to DIY clothes just yet.

Next. Zelo, your hats need to be destroyed. What is with BAP and their atrocious headwear? Anyway, his green double-pointed knit-cap kind of reminds me of that little green anime frog. What was it, kerokeropi? Yeah, that one. And don't get me started on his orange checkered fireman helmet. Sorry guys, I loved your outfits in the previous music videos but this time, it doesn't do it for me.

Review: Girl's Generation Paparazzi

First off, let me start by saying that I realize that this song had been out for quite some time and is therefore out of date, not to mention it is in fact a Japanese song sung by a Korean group which is the type of songs that Simon and Martina have sworn off. However I have no such qualms and will proceed to review the sh*t out of it.

Music Video
As far as music videos go, it had some pretty meaningful elements for a song about Paparazzi. The video opens up where the girls appear before the media looking all cool and assured of themselves. I think it shows for the first time Girl's Generation in their true element. I mean, there was no over exaggeration, they replicated to perfection that looking-bored-in-front-of-paparazzi look. I wouldn't even be surprised if that shot was taken right after an actual press conference except...I'm pretty sure it wasn't.

Moving on, the scene where they twirl around that Broadway stage with the classic number 'Singing in The Rain' softly playing in the background was kind of hilarious, to be honest. And while I was not supposed to find it funny, their look of fearful surprise tickled me too. Normally I have no problem with their acting skills, but they failed to convince me in that one. But on a positive note, I thought it had a really good message. You know, as fans we only see the enviable side in the lives of our idols, where they are loved and admired by hundreds of thousands of people. However we seldom see the flip side of this kind of fame, where they are under constant pressure to present a perfect image to the world. One slip up, and it could mean the end of their careers.

Even the Broadway stage is relevant. You see the members twirling around on stage, performing for an audience. Just like how celebrities in real life generally have to put on a show in front of the cameras. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all artists we've come to know and love are a hundred percent fake, but that doesn't mean that they're a hundred percent honest either. And since they are always being put on a pedestal by all of their adoring fans, they can't afford to be. After everything, the girls twirl off stage and the curtain closes, signalling that the show in front of the public is over. And you see their efforts paying off with thunderous applause from the audience and a shot of the Girl's Generation Weekly Exploitation Press singing their praises all over the front page.

 

This one.

Side note, was I the only one who noticed how that Broadway stage kept changing? I mean, at 1.10 as the members step out, you can clearly see the ground is completely dry. But at 1.45 when they toss their trenchcoats off and start dancing, suddenly the ground is damp like someone just spilled ten buckets of water over the place. Even more hilarious is the fact that you can actually see puddles of water disappear and then reappear in the next scene.

1.26

1.46

I mean, were they trying to create some sort of after-rain effect? Kind of inappropriate in my opinion since they are dancing indoors on a stage presumably made of wood, where the audience generally shouldn't expect it to rain. So why bother with the special effects? By the way, constantly soaking wood like that will cause it to rot and eventually collapse. So unless you're trying to kill someone, hosing a Broadway stage seems like a pretty bad idea. It makes me wonder how the video was produced though. Did they like, film one take of the video on a dry stage before getting out the water hose and filming the second and third take, all the while praying that they would finish before all the puddles dried up?

Song and Lyrics
Since the song came out almost right after Twinkle, I can't help but compare the two. The conclusion is, I like Twinkle a lot better than Paparazzi mainly because in Twinkle, Tiffany, Taeyeon and Seohyun really belt it out and showed off a impressive range of vocals. Paparazzi however, does not push the members to those boundaries and therefore loses out. Still, this is still a pretty solid number. The the song was sleek, smooth and had distinct potential as club music, which fits given their clubbing outfits. I feel like there should have been a scene in the music video where the members chill in a club each holding a glass of champagne. Not cocktails, cuz that wouldn't be classy enough. You can really see SNSD's music growing as the members do, and both are maturing towards a direction which I approve of (Which is why I just about died when I Got A Boy came out).

Since the song was so hip and fast, I really thought the song would mainly be about life being a party and boom boom boom. But the lyrics actually hold a much darker meaning. If you look past the smiles and sassy attitudes in the video, this song actually mocks the relationship between celebrities and the media. The girls taunt the paparazzi by calling them partners in crime. We want the fame, you want the stories, it's nothing personal right? And then there is this bitterness injected when they talk about putting on a show no matter where they are since the cameras are always going boom, and that the love they receive comes with a price tag.

The song takes a more desperate turn when they don't want this kind of life anymore but can't complain because the paparazzi was what made them famous in the first place. So in the end, they sort of acknowledge that this is the life they chose and that they have to live with the consequences for it. Very nice. This probably makes me a pretty morbid person, but I really like songs with deep, dark meanings. Like on the surface it suggests one thing but the more you listen to it, the more you realize its actually saying another thing. Gives me chills.

Dance
Normally I'm okay with SNSD's dances, but I had some mixed feelings with this one. Lets start with what I did like about the dance. I loved the camera clicking motions right down to the picture frame they did with their fingers. It was catchy, timed perfectly and fitted well with the song.  And the dance break with Hyoyeon's solo was awesome as well.

However I thought that the positioning of the members were a bit poorly arranged. While some of the standard placing such as the V-shape and the double line was pulled off perfectly, most of the time they looked like they were just dancing in random positions, coincidentally managing not to bump into each other as they shuffled around. I'm guessing the choreographer was trying to shake things up by placing them in unorthodox positions and having each member dance differently for some parts. Maybe it would work for groups with less members, but with all nine of them doing something different at the same time, it became a little messy. And while I understand some parts made it really difficult for all members to be in time with one another, but this is the kind of dance that requires all the members to be robotically in sync, which unfortunately they were not.

OUT. OF. SYNC

Also the chorus part where the members spread out their arms in union, really brought to my attention for the first time how skinny some of the girls were. The member I noticed first was Yoona. When she took center position during that chorus, I was shocked because although I knew she was thin, I didn't expect her to be that thin. So when it was Sooyoung's turn, who is the twiggiest member in the group, I actually braced myself to look away because I didn't think I could bear to watch. But thankfully she didn't fully spread her arms out when she took center stage. Why do I get the feeling that that was deliberate? SM, for crying out loud, feed your artists. Now I don't know if Sooyoung and Yoona are the type of people with insane metabolisms where they can gorge themselves and still remain skin and bones. I actually have friends who are like that, so I know these people exist. But if that body was achieved from all the rumored dieting, then you have a serious problem.

Fashion
I'm about to say something terrible here, probably the meanest thing I'm going to say in my entire blogging career so let me get that out of the way before anything else. Sones, I'm giving you the chance to flee the scene, so take it.

All right, so...You know that furry black thing Yoona was wearing in place of a skirt? Well, it makes her look like an ostrich. Yes, I know, I know, I'm just awful. But before you rush at me with your knives and pitchforks, please study the picture below:

               

                     gettyimages.com

It cannot be unseen.

 I'm sorry for bringing this up, I really am. T-T

 Also about Sooyoung's outfit...I'll be blunt. I really hate harem pants. I don't even know why such an abomination was created, let alone why it was brought back into style, and not even Sooyoung of SNSD can pull off the horrendous-ness which are harem pants. So yeah, her costume is not my cup of tea. For the rest of the members, I have no complaints. Their club themed hair and outfits are great. My personal favorite is Seohyun's gothic princess look. She totally rocks it.              

Review: Girl's Generation - I Got A Boy

SNSD is back, starting off the new year with the much anticipated "I Got A Boy".

Music Video
While I knew that SNSD was making a comeback soon, I hadn't really been keeping track of their progress. Still, from the teaser photos I had seen, I knew that they were going for an image change, transforming from princesses to swag hipsters. That was why I was kind of taken aback when the music video opened with what looked like a clip stolen from their old "Gee" video. Question, who is that guy? Is he one of their boyfriends? Then why were they so shocked to see him? Is he a stalker then?! The girls certainly act like he is. But I'm not going to go there since that would lead to even more questions that would need a whole other music video to answer.

Forgetting the first thirty seconds, I still wasn't a fan of the music video. I thought that the concept would be all gangsta and swag, but it ended up with so many different themes that it was nothing short of confusing. And I don't know about anyone else, but to me, whoever thought combining aegyo and swag in the same video was a good idea deserves to be shot. I'm going to admit something here: I have an extremely low tolerance for aegyo. I don't care how popular Gee or Oh! was, it was so overflowing with sickly sweet cuteness that it made my skin crawl. While most of the members managed to somewhat pull off a non cringe-worthy cuteness, a few of them  (I'm So not mentioning names. Jes' figure it yourself) kind of made me want to claw my insides out. Shudder~

I honestly thought that SNSD was done with the aegyo concept for good. But no, they somehow managed to bring it back in a video that was supposed to show swag. By the way, I use the term swag for lack of a better word, because in my opinion they don't have it. Yes, I can already hear Sones worldwide screaming at me. I've read some comments online about SNSD's concept being a rip-off from both 2ne1 and Hyuna's style. While I don't think that is fair judgement - 2ne1 and Hyuna do have their own unique styles, but that does not mean it is exclusively theirs, I have to agree that swag just doesn't suit SNSD. Sorry, it could just be my distaste for the aegyo-ness of it speaking though. If you ask my opinion, I think the concept that suited them best was the one in 'Paparazzi' or even 'Twinkle'. They should just stick with that. And DON'T bring back aegyo.

And as if the clash of aegyo vs punkster wasn't enough, they had to add yet another genre with the spotlight and the mike in the middle of the song (What is that called? Soulful? R&B? Amy Winehouse?). That scene just literally popped out of nowhere. There was no building up to it, no coherence, and then it was gone, also just like that. It was just soooo confusing. I watched the music video a couple of times and I still have no idea what the heck is going on.

Speaking of confusing, the girls' individual aegyo shots presents even more questions. In each shot, the members are cosying up to their boyfriend, who by the way happens to be the same stalker who was lurking at their doorstep earlier on. Girls, what did your mothers tell you about dating that creepy dude who stalks your front door? Anyway, that is besides the point. My question is, why are they dating the same guy? Of course you see this in other music videos where a single extra will interact with all the members in a group at the same time. But you can still make the argument that the members are usually just trying to seduce the same guy/girl as opposed to dating him/her. In this video however, they are obviously a couple. So doesn't that mean he's cheating on all of them at once? And yet the girls are still smitten with him, flashing him cute smiles and shy aegyo. All except Hyoyeon who is mad because he arrived late for their date. Yeah Hyoyeon, you show him! And while he is begging for forgiveness, she leaps up and...slaps him in the face? Really? That seems like a bit of an overreaction if you ask me. What would you do if he cancelled the date then? Kick him in the balls? Unless the real reason for her slapping him is because she found out that he was in fact nine-timing her with the rest of her members. In that case...Yeah, you go girl!

Song and Lyrics
So the first thought I had when I heard the lyrics was: So that's what the video was about! The three parts actually represented three different meanings in the song. Yeah, that explains everything! And then I looked at the lyrics again. And again. And again. And that was when I realized the heart wrenching truth. They don't explain anything. The lyrics were a riddle in their own right. It was like trying to solve a Rubik's cube with another Rubik's cube.

When I look at I Got A Boy lyrics, I see this

So the song starts off with a couple of mean girls talking about how their girlfriend had changed and became this show-offy little princess ever since she met her guy and they resent her for that. Ok fine, the lyrics were all gangsta and really fit the part actually, right up until Tiffany goes "Aiyo stop. Let me put it down another way." So when you said that you were going to put it another way, I assumed that you were going to continue talking about her, only in a different way. Maybe you were going to get out your rock band from Twinkle and continue dissing her on a Broadway stage like in Paparazzi. But no. Instead they change the beat and start singing about their guy who is both aegyo and charming and how they completely fell for him......Right.

First of all, the thought of creepy stalker dude doing aegyo is slightly disturbing to me. Secondly, what is going on here? I thought you girls were just putting down another chick for trying too hard to impress a guy and then you go on to sing about how you met this totally awesome guy who has stolen your heart. And again, what is up with that part with the spotlight and the mike? Tiffany sings about how her boyfriend makes her so mad when not five seconds ago they were still all lovey-dovey. Did you guys have a fight? If so, you sure made up quick because thirty seconds into that soulful rendition (I know, I counted), they 'went back to 1.40' and carried on singing about their awesome boy like nothing happened. Ok, now I've got a headache.

Sometimes you get songs which have contrasting lyrics. In Song Jieun's Going Crazy, on the one hand you have Jieun singing about how she's being stalked by this guy. On the other hand, Bang Yongguk is rapping from the stalker's perspective so it becomes almost like a conversation going on between the two of them. And the song was awesome because of it. But the lyrics in I Got A Boy don't just constrast, they downright contradict each other. First they hate their friend for being so obsessed with a guy, but then they go on to talk about how smitten they are with their own boyfriend. And then they say their boyfriend doesn't know how to treat them right even though they had just been going on and on about how wonderful he is. Sigh.

 I don't understand anything!

Contrasting lyrics don't work out when they are being sung by the same people. Taeyeon sings in all three different parts of the song. So basically she is contradicting herself three times over. Wouldn't it be better to split the group into two or three subunits and let them have a face-off, each singing a different part of the song? Or better yet, break the song into three parts, add more lines and put them in the friggin' album as three separate songs. Because the rapping sequence in the beginning and the R&B track in the middle does nothing to compliment the main song. Neither do they add to the meaning of it. In fact, they don't do anything for the main song whatsoever. They are pointless.

It really a shame because when listened separately, each different part is really great. The rapping was fine although they sounded more like mean girls rather than bad-ass gangsters, the main chorus was catchy and the R&B part made full use of some of the members' vocal abilities. Even the sound fit with the lyrics. You have scornful rapping when the girls are dissing someone, then you get an upbeat chorus as they tell you that they got a boy, and then you have an almost angry vibe when their guy doesn't treat them like a woman. My personal favorite was the 1.40 line.

But because they are different genres, it makes the song really disconnected. There is no build up towards the next genre, so you can clearly hear the part where the song breaks off and begins in a new sound. It doesn't sound like one single song. It sounds like someone randomly switching radio stations and this not-quite-mash-up-but-mashed-up concept does not do justice to either genre. Ever heard of the saying too many cooks spoil the broth? Yeah, exactly.

Dance
No question about it, I definitely liked the dance for this song. Compared to the actual music video, I think I liked watching the dance version much better. It was strong, aggressive, and fun, which is something you seldom see in girl group dances. The feel of the dance also changes following the shifting genres of the song but I thought that the transition from one concept to the other was pretty smooth and it fitted nicely to the feel of each part of the song. I especially loved the belly dancing accompanying the Bollywood-esque beat and hair tossing nearing the chorus. I have no complaints. Two thumbs up, it was pretty good. 

Fashion
The trend was a little different from SNSD's usual style since its more hiphop, but it still manages to retain their girly image. I'm not sure if they were supposed to still look girly or go full-on badass, but that was what I thought. Still, they pulled it off well and I didn't even mind the occasional cat ears that popped up here and there. Yuri, I love your sunglasses by the way. And I just about passed out from laughter when I saw Sunny's cap. I don't know about Yoona's black leather skirt accompanied with black tights, but that didn't bother me as much as their style change in the middle of the video. I mean, the multicolored trenchcoats were fine but what was with the ginger hair? And why were their hairstyles completely identical? It made them look like creepy life-sized Barbie dolls. No offense, but they did.

I also have issues with Sunny's hair. My favorite hairstyle on her was without a doubt her short blond cut in The Boys. This fluffy, afro-like do highlighted with varying pastel colors kind of makes her look like a Jigglypuff. Just saying. On a positive note, I love Hyoyeon's rainbow colored hair. Totally awesome.