FT Island's I WILL Album Review

Personally, this album got to me from the first measure of the intro. I could already anticipate the mix of feelings I was going to get from the rest of the songs.

The single, PRAY, is much like an anthem. For young artists who struggle to make a living while doing what they like and what they feel, the world is cruel. You have no idea how much we actually and literally pray for that one small breakout. Anyway, if you check out the lyrics, you'll get all these emotions and a lot of optimism. Whenever I listen to it, I feel the urge to create. It's like a nudge. Musically speaking, this song is good. It kind of reminds me of One Ok Rock and I'd be more than happy if these two bands would ever have a song together. The MV is powerful even if it doesn't seem so. I really like it and not just because they're FT Island.

Next is Black Chocolate. Sincerely, I'm curious why they named it like that and who named it. It's very interesting how the melody itself is a soft rock here and then goes alternative and then back and so on and so forth. But that adds a lot of style to the song. There's that guitar solo that makes me have hope in humanity. No, but really, it's a good song with a lot of things in it if you listen closely. The lyrics are sad and they define the feeling of helplessness. I incline to think that either Jonghoon or Jaejin wrote them.

I know for sure that BPM69 has been composed by Jaejin since he had some instagram posts of it. What can I say? I had some suspicious ideas of what and how that was going to sound like. Thankfully, it's a ballad/pop sound. I was expecting it to be complex and have a deep sound but in that Green Day way. It doesn't. When I first listened to it, I didn't have enough patience to fully listen to it.

Do you know why? is my favorite song from the album. Except the fact that it sounds a little mainstream, I think it's a great song. I like that Jaejin sings the verses and Hongki takes it away with the chorus. Like I said before, I love it when a song induces me a state. This song induces a lot of emotions and that's what music is about. it's quite simple at the core but it's good. The lyrics are all sorrowful. You can imagine who wrote it.

Now, Hey Girl is a really cute song. Remember The Maine's into Your Arms and The American Rejects' About A Girl. I swear this song sums up those two in a very nice way. I get the same vibes and it's just so likable. The lyrics are pretty much the same thing, more or less. The story gravitates around the same subject. But I like how they got a guitar solo that sounds different in each song. Like, they put a lot of thought into it. This song would do great in English.

To the Light is a song that we all know from their Japanese album. I personally liked more the version in Japanese than this one in Korean. Altogether, this song goes the same way as Pray. The MV is good and O love the fact that they showed exactly how much they mean to the fans and how devoted are their fans from all over the Globe. At the same time, the fans make this whole video and song so awesome. It's that kind of song that appears at the right moment, when the principle character gets up from the ground after being slapped and broken. Yep. This song also shows Jaejin's potential as a vocalist. I think his voice range is smaller than Hongki (most definitely, actually) but it sounds very good.

I will probably seem bad because I am comparing them but Time To reminds me of the whole playlist from when I was young. Like, it reminds me of the songs the artists at Warped were doing. It sounds childish at first but then, you start to bob your head to the rhythm. Maybe it's just me but this song always makes me go back the memory line. Anyway, I do think this is a childish song in a way. The lyrics are positive but meh compared to other songs from them. It also sounds rushed. Like they needed a song and just picked one quickly.

그림자 (Shadow) is a song that confuses me a little. The first thing that dazzled me was the chorus. I just wanna feel you, feel you. No matter how much I try to pass it, it's still weird. I do understand the song and lyrics and meaning but seriously. What is good at this song and completely owns it is the guitar from the bridge. I like it. And another good thing about this song is the melody itself and the rhythm they use. But I would prefer not to check out the lyrics in english.

Please is a good song. Os my second favorite because it has something that attracts me to it. Maybe it's because I am more fond of that sound but I enjoy listening to it. The mix of slow verse and powerful chorus always got to me. The lyrics are better. I think the orchestral part is what I genuinely like even if I heard it before at different bands. More like, it's that kind of song that every band has. It's enjoyable and never gets old. If you ask me about what is this song, I think whoever wrote it went through some really bad relationships. It's about lies and heartbreak. Worse and more sorrowful than that, it can't get.

Light is the last song on the album and it can be taken as the epilogue. Why? Because, in my humble opinion, it sounds a lot like the character finally found the light at the end of the tunnel. It's a soft song for the year but it's pretty encouraging in a way for the heart.

I might be thinking into the songs way too much but these guys went through some awful experiences in love. Half of the album is about lies and this feeling of being trapped inside a cage and have your wings broken. That is reality of every day life. And then, there are some positive, encouraging and happier songs that create a balance. I appreciate their efforts and it is a good album but I still think they didn't reach their highest point in their careers as musicians. However, it is a well made album with more or less technique and with a lot of emotional baggage.

Yonghwa's One Fine Day Album Review

So, Yonghwa's solo album is really good. From my point of view, Checkmate is such a wonderful song that reminds me of how much I used to like Warped. I still do but don't have free time anymore to actually listen to the bands as much as before. 

So, Checkmate is my favorite song on the album. It is about society and this stereotypical Asian method of working and living. I think the song is more of an encouragement to young people aka students. I think the lyrics are more subtle than the video, where you kind of have to be blind not to understand. I also love how he sings it with a Chinese (awesome and incredible artist whom I checked out) singer. Maybe I think too deep but that has a connection with the message of the song. 

A song that I enjoy listening before I sleep is Without You. Besides the melody itself which I find interesting, I really lile how smooth it is and how well he takes the high notes when he sings it live. And, I have a soft spot for it. I liked it instantly and when I looked it up, I just found the lyrics very familiar. Overall, I like it as a whole. I can't say something is better than the other because it hit me right in the heart.

The single, One Fine Day is...well it is good but then again. The lyrics as translated in any other language but korean are nothing amazing. They are very simple and very cliche, in a way. They are a little childish, from what I have been told by a poet. That is one of the reason I rarely look korean lyrics up. Most of them are not exactly what you expect them to be. On the other side, the MV is not bad. It shows the misunderstanding between Yonghwa and his girlfriend. I like how in the beginning, we are sure that she is over him but at the end, we realize she's not and she actually cares for him and gets disappointed when she sees him leave. I like how sorrowful that scene had been made. 

One song I never expected to see Yonghwa doing is Mileage. Even though we all kind of confirmed the fact that he is lazy and not the best influence as a person through different shows, I really like how this song turned out. Except YDG, whom I respect, i like the MV idea. Besides, it's about life of a husband. That job is hard and complicated and once you start it, it never ends. So, it's a refreshing songs in terms of idea and rhythm. And when you see Yonghwa dancing is just funny. He is not a dancer. 

If Mileage was a surprise, imagine how it felt when I listened to Energy with Verbal Jint. I love rap and I love the feel you get from songs like Energy but sadly, I didn't find any interest in this song. It's not bad but it's something you hear in so many places that you kind of get sick of it. It didn't make my playlist bug I may be wrong and just didn't feel it. My mom likes it better than me and she is very judging. Verbal Jint does his job well and has the flow but it doesn't reach to me. The lyrics, though, are my short life story. A bad day when you are tired and the solution to that is the energy coming from your loved one. It's something we all experience, mostly people from the forever alone club (welcome to the club). 

His duet with Yun Do Hyeon touched me more than One Fine Day. It has this certain feel to it, maybe because it's a duet and there's more power to it. Also, it sounds like a soundtrack. Once a song gives you that impression, it makes you think. You start to imagine all these scenes where that song can appear in and it gives you something to think about for a while. 

Last Leaf is a song that inspired me to write my own set of lyrics. Much as half of the album, it's not exactly a love song. It's a song for the fans, a song that makes you think about the difference between being lonely and being alone. It talks about the world and somehow, it's a little personal. He wants his fans to know they are not alone. That's cute and somehow, I don't think that was his intention at first. I think he went a little with the flow. 

Another song is Goodnight Lover. I extremely enjoy this song because it's this kind of tune that puts you into a very good mood. It's the kind of song you hear in coffee shops and that's good. It's another song that makes me, personally, imagine myself in a scene with my special someone. ?I like that he didn't keep it very simple. He added some orchestra here and there and all together, it's a well made song. And it's cute and likable and in a way, romantic even. You can't help but bob your head to the rhythm.

And lastly, we have 27 years with Peter Malick. That is a song that expresses how he feels being 27 years old. That's not old at all, if you ask me. But we all feel different while ageing. Anyway, this song is more mature and makes the listener have a close in to his feelings. It's a cute song that makes you go back on the memory lane. I know it did to me. It's like a page from a journal, if you ask me. 

Anyway, the whole album feels personal and has a definite flow. He didn't make it suddenly, he put a lot of thought into it. I am still not sure if he put the same amount of thought into the technique but that doesn't matter to a majority of the listeners. What matters is what you feel when you listen to it. He covered that part well. He is really sly, like a fox. He knows exactly what to do and what kind of songs appeal to each kind of listener. He's not stupid at all. Good for him. 

Red Velvet's Ice Cream Cake

As I said, I'm not a fan of Red Velvet. I'm more into ballads and rap. I didn't find any joy in listening Happiness. I tried more than once over the last half a year and even now, I don't like it.

However, I do play Superstar SM Town and there is where I hear Ice Cream Cake. Except the title, which doesn't appeal to a big audience because it doesn't sound meaningful, the song is not half bad. The melody is interesting and that intro music box sound is good. The songs itself is interesting and as long as you don't know what they're saying, it's perfect. 

Now, the MV is a whole new story and people are debating on it. It's the same set and same kind of format as B1A4's Solo Day. The directors are different and the filming itself is a bit different but overall, for the normal common eye it's the same thing. The concept is a bit overused and I think it was better for F(X) (who have been MIA for a while) than Red Velvet. Nothing personal, I have nothing with them, for me it's strictly about their concept and music. But some things seem like are done in spite. Or that's how I see it and that's on the company, not on the artists. I sincerely pity the SM trainees.

The song is interesting and if you listen to it, without seeing the MV, you'll definitely enjoy it. Oh and the dance is good. Yes. Watch the lives.

I'm Alive

So, I know this year will be amazing for k-pop lovers because there are a lot of comebacks in plan. There was Junsu with Flower, a song I greatly enjoy and an album that definitely deserves 8/10 points. There is also D&E's comeback with Growing Pains and the rest of the album. I have a lot of good things to say about them. We have the new song from Red Velvet which sounds better than I expected and there's still so much more. 

From what I know, May will be a lucky month. BTS announced their comeback with a new full album in May, Infinite will also have their comeback, Exo are going to do something as well and Big Bang will come back after a while. But then again, with YG is hard to know because they didn't announce the year. They just said a month. 

But firstly I'd like to start with Yonghwa's solo album. I know I had high expectations for it and for everything regarding FNC truthfully. I am a fan of FNC. I know that everyone has their own opinion and I'm in no place to judge or be judged. 

But let's be serious. Yonghwa's album sounds really good. My mother is a big Yonghwa and CNBlue fan so I listened to their albums as background music while working on my homework. Unlike Roy Kim's music, which I find perfect for working, Yonghwa's voice doesn't really make me sit and have this inspirational mood. No. Yonghwa's voice is powerful and he likes to show that. I dare to compare it with Jung Joon Young and not only. They have this energy and style that makes you feel good and positive and bad ass. It's good to listen in the subway or on the way to school. I do that.

Except Yonghwa's album, I'd also like to say a few words about FT Island's new album. I'm not finished with listening to it but I'm inclined towards Jaejin and Jonghoon's songs because they are very close to my style and what I compose. Big thumbs up to everyone, though. An album is so freaking hard to make. It annoys the hell out of you and then you get sick of it right when you make it available. It's a harsh world, the music world.