[Single] Happy Pledis; Hazel Eyes

Hazel Eyes is the fourth single released by After School and the first under the name Happy Pledis. This release is the first of a series of charity singles. Love Love Love was used as the promotional track.

Released: December 7, 2010
1. Love Love Love
2. Someone is You
3. Love Love Love (Inst.)
4. Someone is You (Inst.)

Hazel Eyes opens with Love Love Love, a song fitting of the season it was released. With it’s cheerful beats and lighthearted nature, the song is nothing out of the ordinary in regards to Christmas songs but it is a nice listen altogether. Vocally, it’s a nicely put together song. The melody is simple, nothing particularly catchy but still shows off the vocals quite well. Someone is You slows things down a little more with a nice midtempo pop tune. When I first listened to it, the first thing I thought of was Girls’ Generation’s first album. It’s a charming song with a nice melody, but relies more on the fact it shows off the girls’ vocals. My only gripe is the random introduction of male background vocals. I think it would’ve sounded better with the girls doing the background vocals.

Overall: Considering what it was for and when it was released, it’s a nice release. My problem is that it’s a little too dull for my tastes. I guess when I think of After School, I think of something exciting, especially for the promotional track.

B

[Digital Single] After School; Because of You (Remix)

Because of You (Remix) is the third digital single released by girl group After School.

Released: January 22, 2010
1. Because of You (Remix) (너 때문에)

Because of You (Remix) is what you guessed it to be. Gone is the piano and replacing it is an awkward computerized synth. What I do like about the remix is the explosive choruses and the volley of synths being thrown out there, but the replacement of the piano line makes it sound like a cheap karaoke rip-off. The melody is pretty much intact which is a good thing though. I really dislike remixes where it sounds more like a full-fledged instrumental with random lines thrown in.

Overall: Not bad, not amazing. While the remix is a decent listen, there are times where it comes off as a bit cheap sounding and it really lacks the emotion the original had.

B-

[Mini-Album] Kahi; Come Back, You Bad Person

Come Back, You Bad Person is the debut solo mini-album released by After School leader, Kahi. The title song was used as the promotional track.

Released: February 14, 2011
1. Come Back, You Bad Person (돌아와 나쁜 너)
2. One Love
3. Gift (선물)
4. Roller Coaster (롤러코스터)

Starting with the title track, Come Back, You Bad Person is a striking emotional piece to put it shortly. Following the similar styling of After School’s song “Because of You”, the song makes me think of a second remix. What I really enjoy about it is how the song wraps the singing and rapping together, which makes me think of two different emotions being played. My favourite part of the song though is definitely smack dab in the middle where the song switches from its repetitive self into something more striking. The breakdown here is gorgeous. With that said, there are parts of this song that seem more about the visual aspects than the music. What I mean are the pretty empty choruses, which just robotically repeat the title. It’s good for shows, but for a listen I’m not quite fond of it and would’ve preferred something more filling. Still, even with that bit of emptiness, the song easily shows Kahi’s capabilities as a performer with the strong singing and rapping. One Love slows things down with a nice R&B ballad. It’s nothing out of the ordinary like the title track was, but it’s a good safe place to return to. What I enjoyed most was the fact it showed off Kahi’s vocals really well and her versatility in genres of music. My only gripe is the random “don’t wasted time”. I usually don’t care for the awkward English found in Asian songs, but this one just sounds so awkward at one of the more crucial points in the song. Slowing things down even further is Gift, a more traditional sounding ballad. It’s a good song, but it’s a tad dull to be honest. I really like how great Kahi sounds here, but the problem is that it sounds like a mix of other K-Pop ballads I’ve listened to before. The notes Kahi hits really turn my head around though as I never expected her to be such a powerful vocalist. After two slower songs, we are hit with Roller Coaster, a funky pop/dance mix. It has a weird vibe to it because it doesn’t particularly transition well, but that’s what makes it so great. The chorus is definitely the best part though as its opening is just so smooth and crisp. It does have some awkward areas though, such as the repetitive use of the title, which I get bored of quickly. With that said, it’s a great song.

Overall: As the first solo mini-album from Kahi, this was a striking release. Each song showed off her versatility and strengths and each was a solid track. While I was not particularly interested in the ballad, it’s still a good song altogether and does little to detract the quality of this release.

A+

[Digital Single] Orange Caramel; Bangkok City

Bangkok City is the first digital single released by After School subgroup, Orange Caramel.

Released: March 31, 2011
1. Bangkok City (방콕시티)
2. Bangkok City (Inst.)

Bangkok City really changes things up. Compared to Orange Caramel’s past music, this one has a stronger club vibe to it and is a vast departure from their more bubblegum pop oriented title tracks. With that said, it’s a nice transformation. The thumping beats, funky synths and insanely catchy chorus really work well together. I also really enjoy the vocals in this song. Nana and Lizzy really sound great in this genre, especially the former with her more prominent nasally tone. Raina really steals the show with the last chorus though and the adlibs she does. With all this said, I do have one minor problem and that is there is just a little emptiness in the song. I think it has to do with the music as it comes off a little cheap sounding.

Overall: Orange Caramel return with a striking party tune that’s both catchy and shows off the vocals. While I did feel it was missing something, it’s a great listen regardless.

A