Review: SM The Ballad - Vol. 2 "Breath"

Hey guys, sorry for the long wait!  (School rocks for education and learning but sucks for side projects and hobbies...). Since none of us are music critics, Rachel came up with a simple rubric to grade the album in review. Click here for the rubric. 

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S.M. The Ballad is back!!!  They're back, but with different members. The Ballad was always meant to be a rotating group and all, and I'm happy and sad about that.  Now that Jay is in the military, Jino is in undebuted purgatory (aka, some musical in Japan), and Kyuhyun is busy keeping his variety show king title, Jonghyun is left as SM's resident male balladier and the only "original" Ballad member to remain.  But watch out Jonghyun, Yesung is back from the army...

Interestingly, the first album is pure instrumental - a very curious and refreshing addition to SM material.  It's a good musical introduction to "Breath" if you're into listening to compositions as a whole, but I suspect that most K-Pop fans will skip over it.

This particular album is interesting in the fact that SM has released a Korean, Chinese, and Japanese version of the title song "Breath."  My little gripe is wondering where in the heck is the English version?  Ballads may be SM's way into the English-language market and it wouldn't really matter how well it did as a single, since the Korean version is their main focus.  They could get Henry and Amber to sing it and it would be perfect.

Breath

Rachel: I really like this song.  I'm not a music critic or even a music major so I can't be all technical, but I like this song.  Personally, I'm biased towards the Chinese version.  First, I'm glad to Zhang Liyin coming out of the dark and lonely SM dungeon. Second, I love how her lighter and airier voice contrasts with Chen's deeper and richer voice.

The Korean version, Jonghyun and Taeyeon, is my neutral choice.  After hearing the contrast between Zhang Liyin and Chen, I didn't feel that Jonghyun and Taeyeon had voices that contrasted enough. They seem to be in the same range/register (sorry, not a music expert!) and vocal "flavor", and the voices sounds eerily similar during the harmonies. When Kyuhyun and Tiffany did "아름다운 그대에게 (Rise & Shine)," they had similar registers but different vocal "flavor." 

My least favorite version was the Japanese version.  While the voices contrast nicely like the Chinese version, I don't think the voices fit this particular song.  Changmin was and is TVXQ's power vocal. His specialty seems to lie in belting and this song really isn't built for a belt-er (say that ten times fast). This ballad also doesn't really suit Krystal's voice.  I personally think that BoA should have been Changmin's partner, seeing as she knows Japanese more intimately, but I understand SM's desire to include a member from f(x). (I would vote for J-Min to get back in the spotlight, but BoA has enough charisma to stand up to Changmin while J-Min does not).  BoA can do breathy, but Krystal's voice seems more...grounded?  But then and again, she's no Jessica.  Her voice is more suited for songs like "좋았던 건, 아팠던 건 When I Was… When U Were..."

Hara: Just as Rachel mentioned above, none of us are music critics/majors, so I would like to keep it simple :) My opinion on "Breath" is basically the same as Rachel's. There's just something about Chen and Zhang Li Yin's Chinese version which really stands out more than the rest. When the video teasers first came out, my little SONE heart was sure than our adorable kid-leader, Taeyeon, was going to dominate but I have to give it to Zhang Li Yin on this one. Also, it's amazing of Chen to be able to stand his ground against a power-house vocal like Li Yin, despite only at 2 years into his debut. Even though I did enjoy the Korean version with Jonghyun and Taeyeon, it's like a half/half for me. Also similar to Rachel, the Japanese version was my least favorite however, mega props to my girl Krystal for improving so much! 

Lisa:

When I Was...When U Were...

Rachel: "좋았던 건, 아팠던 건 When I Was… When U Were..." is one of my favorite songs.  Krystal and Chen's voices are perfect for this.  This actually is my favorite song on the album.  They're both relatively young so I think their youth brings a little bit of innocence and energy to this song.  This song is in the same vein as Jessica and Onew's "One Year Later" (parted lovers who meet again) but their voices give a more puppy love/first love feel than Jessica and Onew's mature and serious love. 

Hara:

Lisa:

A Day Without You

Rachel: "하루 A Day Without You" is good as a song, but once again I wish they had picked different voices.  Jonghyun and Chen have such similar voices that they should have chosen one or the other.  Heck, when EXO covers SHINee who ends up getting Jonghyun's parts and sounding like a dead ringer?  Chen!  There's no denying they aren't good singers, but to a casual listener (or the first listen) it's difficult to distinguish who is who.  I keep this on repeat because I like the song, but if my music is on shuffle, I find myself forgetting this is a duet and not a solo.  Personally, I would have liked a Chen/Baekhyun duet (one from EXO-K and one from EXO-M ;)), but I can only wish.  ^^

Hara:

Lisa:

Blind 

Rachel: "Blind" is Yesung's "re-debut" after being in the army.  While he's still in the army until April, this is a way to get the public reacquainted with him and to get them to anticipate his return to Super Junior (who should be making a fall comeback if the rumors are to be believed.)  I must be biased toward Chinese or I'm just excited the ZhouMi is back in ring, but I prefer ZhouMi's version over Yesung's.  :/  I also think SM should have taken the opportunity to "debut" Yuta, an SMRookie and SM's only Japanese signee.  They did it for Jino last time.  But then again, thanks to SM's total lack of information on the Rookies, I have no idea if Yuta can even sing (what if he's a rapper or dancer like Shindong and can't sing at all...?).

Hara:

Lisa:

Overall

Rachel: Excellent. SM needs to work on its voice pairings but otherwise a well put together piece of work.

Hara:

Lisa:

f(x) Comes Back: 첫 사랑니 (Rum Pum Pum Pum) [MV]

Yay!  f(x) is finally back!  Well, not yet, really, but their MV for their title song, "첫 사랑니 (Rum Pum Pum Pum)" [Is this (your) first love? (Rum Pum Pum Pum)] is finally out!

Upon first listen, I really like the song.  It's nice to hear SM finally not use English for the sake of using English (I don't count "Rum pum pum pum" as a word).  Sulli gets the only two English words in the song, "attention boys", and surprising pulls it off flawlessly.  I'm surprised because was garbled in "To the Beautiful You" and non-existent in the Funny Or Die skit with Anna Kendrick.  Mostly, it's nice to hear Amber using Korean to rap instead of the token English rap.

However, the music video (like a majority of SM's MVs of late), is disappointing.   I don't know if they've completely given up on anything not dance-related with f(x) or what, but after "La CHA ta", "Chu", and "NU ABO", f(x) just dances.  But then and again, it's happening to Super Junior too.

Unlike a majority of people, I really don't mind SM's box MVs.  I love the dances SM gives their artists and am always a tad annoyed when the plot line (which is usually weak and/or non-existent - hey at least their honest with their lack of ability with coming up with creative story lines!) gives me only a handful of shots of the dance.
But I digress.  Anyway, the MV was disappointing in the fact that SM is shamelessly copying from f(x)'s previous MVs, "Hot Summer" and "Pinnochio".  While "Electric Shock" was still in a box, at least it didn't really resemble any of their previous MVs (kudos for box creativity?).  However, the red hair and the "bouncing" camera shots of Krystal are straight out of "Hot Summer" and the "flipping" shots and the pointing/poking CG objects are straight out of "Pinnochio".

But I'm just disappointed in the fact Amber looks like a guy.  SM has been growing out Amber's hair and letting her drop hints that their next comeback would include her with a more girlish look.  But no.  They went the most masculine look that she's ever had.  Shortest hair too.  And might I add that this dance is so not meant for her look?  While the moves can't really be classified as "sexy" they are "sexy" enough for it to look mighty awkward for Amber.  Especially that moment when she has to lay on the floor.  Awkward!


So if you haven't seen it yet:

Review: EXO - XOXO (Kiss&Hug)

This fangirl has already ordered both versions of EXO's new (and first) full-length album, but I found the tracks online to listen ahead.  This a fair warning that I am no music critic.  I do have 7 years of piano, cello, percussion, and flute, and a few voice lessons, under my belt so I do know something about music, but I am certainly no expert.  :)

I have to say that I am absolutely pleased with the album!  After about a year and a half with not a single peep, this is a very satisfying reward.  Since I refused to listen to the leaked version, I do not know how much they polished up these tracks up from the original.  Also, I have no desire to sit through all of EXO's twelve billion pre-debut teasers to match them up.  From what I recall though, the teasers were pretty much mostly instrumentals with a few single lines thrown in here and there.

Regardless, I feel this was a fairly well-done.  The whole album does really give me a school vibe (good call for the school theme for the photo teasers).  I feel the album sounds a lot like something N*SYNC or The Backstreet Boys would have released with, of course, a few exceptions like "Black Pearl", "My Lady", and "Wolf."  Except with a bit more of an electronic influence, "Let Out the Beast" and "3. 6. 5." really sound like 90's Western pop.  hehe.  I really feel like a little kid again...

It became apparent almost immediately that SM is still carrying on with the whole subunit concepts.  With the exception of "Wolf", EXO-M sings in the Hug version and EXO-K sings in the Kiss version.  It makes perfect sense since that would be a lot to memorize.  Then, so what in the world has EXO been doing for the past 18 months that they couldn't spend memorizing 10 songs in 2 languages?

EXO's Wolf - Teasers - MVs

EXO's teasers for "Wolf" have been unleashed!

First of all, I didn't think I'd like "Wolf".  The leaked version (which you can no longer access on YouTube) was definitely my least favorite EXO song.  But they seemed to have revamped it a little.

However, I do take issue with their pronunciation of "wolf".  With a host of native English speakers under their belt (Tiffany, Henry, Amber, Jessica - heck even Krystal, BoA, and Kris have good enough pronunciation), you think they'd have SOMEONE checking pronunciation and grammar for their studio releases.
Seeing as my dad constantly hammered pronunciation into my head (it bothers me how people can say "well" and "whale" exactly the same way), it is laughable the way they say "oolf".
"I'm a oolf, I'm a oolf!" ....*fail* -_-

Anyway I am excited for the music video!  Finally we might get a music video from SM with a story line, a là Zhang Liyin's "I will" and "Timeless"!
A drama version and dance version would be lovely!