[Single] After School RED; The 4th Single Album

The 4th Single Album is one of two parts of well After School’s fourth single and the debut single for the subgroup After School RED. The title track was used as the promotional track and only includes Nana, Jungah, Kahi and UEE and it meant to be the sexier of the two subgroups.

Released: July 20, 2011
1. In the Night Sky (밤 하늘에)
2. Hollywood

Considering most fans were expecting something sexy, In the Night Sky ended up a little disappointing considering it sounds like a poppy SISTAR song. With that said, once you get into the song, it’s actually good. It’s clapping beats mixed with the subtle piano in the verses and the dotted synths during the chorus really give it a mysterious but relaxed feel. I also found the middle 8 to be the most stunning part of the song where everything seemed slowed down a bit. Vocally, it’s quite good and each member pulls their own, even UEE. Jungah totally dominates the song and rightfully so since her vocals are the strongest in this subgroup. Still, I actually prefer Nana’s parts as she seems to fit the song just right. Hollywood is actually a song that includes all of After School. Unlike the last song with it’s more relaxed style, this one has more dance qualities to it. I can see how it ties with the last song though, as there are elements that seem similar such as slower pace. I’m not a big fan of the song though. It’s good, but I feel there is something missing with the overall delivery and at times it’s a bit empty.

Overall: Both songs on this single are little disappointing in the sense that I imagined it to be something upbeat and fierce. With that said, both songs are still good listens. I found the title track to be a great laidback pop tune with more mature elements to it and while I’m not a big fan of Hollywood, it’s a decent listen.

B+

[Digital Single] Bekah; Take Me To The Place

Take Me To The Place is the debut solo single and last release by (former) After School member, Bekah.

Released: June 21, 2011
1. Take Me To The Place
2. Take Me To The Place (Inst.)

Take Me To The Place is in all English and is in a similar vein to the R&B/pop tunes found in the US music market these days. It’s a striking song because it’s so well put together and feels perfect for what it was used for. With that said, I actually prefer the verses more than the choruses because the feeling a bit more bittersweet to me and I’m not the biggest fan of some of the higher notes found in the chorus. Vocally, the song is great and it’s a shame we never really got to hear much of Bekah’s singing voice. She is easily capable of holding her own and has a slight husk for her vocal tone.

Overall: Great release from a great member. Bekah easily shows her vocal capabilities here and it’s such a shame that she won’t release new material.

A

[Digital Single] UEE; Sok Sok Sok

Sok Sok Sok is the debut solo single by After School member, UEE.

Released: June 21, 2011
1. Sok Sok Sok (feat. Jong Hyun (AS Boys) (쏙쏙쏙)
2. Sok Sok Sok (Inst.)

Sok Sok Sok is a charming pop tune that fits UEE’s image to the T. While I wasn’t really thinking this song would stand out, it’s actually quite good and is really catchy. I’m usually not used to the use of repetitive phrases in choruses, but it works here with the light beats and flowing synths. Obviously, the song isn’t spectacular vocally, but UEE gets by. I think her voice fits the song’s style well despite the obvious fact that the song also shows her weaknesses. The rapping added by the After School Boys member is also a nice touch since it adds the much needed punch to keep the song going.

Overall: Great song despite the lack of vocal prowess. I hope that if UEE continues her solo career, she follows this style.

A

[Album] After School; Virgin

Virgin is the first album released by girl group After School. It is the first release to include E-Young and the last release to include member Bekah. Shampoo was used as the promotional track, while Let’s Step Up was performed as an intro. Play Ur Love also got a music video release.

Released: April 27, 2011
1. Let’s Step Up
2. Shampoo
3. Virgin
4. Bang! (2011 New Recording) (뱅!)
5. Play Ur Love
6. Dream (ft. Pre-School Girl Yun Jo)
7. Because of You (2011 New Recording) (너 때문에)
8. Lean on Time (시간에 기대어)
9. How Are You Doing? (잘 지내고 있죠)
10. Funky Man (ft. Pre-School Girl Yun Jo)
11. My Bell
12. When I Fall (2011 New Recording)
13. Shampoo (Radio Edit)

Right away, we are hit with the intro Let’s Step Up. It’s an interesting piece because it’s quite strong and focuses on tapping. It’s certainly better while being performed, but it grabbed my attention with it’s strong beats and rapping. It’s hard to imagine how the song transitions right into Shampoo, but it works. This Daishi Dance number has an airier quality to it and one with a more sentimental feel. Think Because of You’s sweeter sister. It fuses the piano, dance beats and synths well with the vocal arrangement, which is a little fresh in regards that it doesn’t focus on a phase being repeated constantly. Vocally, it’s great because we finally get to hear some more of Jungah, who had been pushed back in recent releases. All the girls sound great and while the rap sometimes hurts the songs, it does wonders here and fits right in. Definitely a favourite of mine for 2011. Virgin switches things up again and brings a striking upbeat dance tune. It’s definitely harder hitting than the last song and focuses more on a clapping beat and layered vocals. While I think it’s quite catchy, I’m not particularly keen on the vocals because they seem too overdone. Would’ve given more impact if they didn’t make them sound so flat emotionally. Not bad though. Bang!, Because of You and When I Fall are all given new recordings. For the most part they sound the same besides some minor differences in vocal clarity and beats, but are still as listenable and as good as they were on the singles. Play Ur Love gives us a nice and slow R&B piece and only features Kahi, Jungah, Nana and Raina. It’s a little similar to that of When I Fall, but I actually prefer this one because the chorus flows better. Obviously the main focus for this song are the vocals, which are all well done. Jungah and Raina easily dominate the song, especially the latter, whose vocals I feel really fit here. Kahi works well and while I really like Nana, I don’t particularly get her inclusion. Really, the song would’ve worked out without her there. Still a great song. Dream features an unknown singer named Yun Jo (who is actually quite pretty). The song itself has a stronger pop tinge to it than the others and at times has a Xmas quality to it. Vocally, the song is a good listen and this new girl is actually quite decent and fits in well. The slight nasally quality in her voice makes her stand out on her own. Lean on Time is the solo song for Raina and has a R&B influence to it although it’s a little more laidback this time. The guitar mixed with the strings in the back give the song a nice twist to things. When I listen to it, I think of some earlier K-R&B tunes by the likes of Lyn and J. Vocally, it’s of course spot on and I’m really surprised that Raina used falsetto for her higher notes instead of the usual chest notes. How Are You Doing? is a ballad that only features Nana, Jungah, Raina and E-Young. It’s a nice song in the fact that we get a clearer idea of E-Young’s voice considering she only had one line in Shampoo and it also shows off Raina and Jungah’s sweeping vocals. My only problem is that the song itself is rather dull. It’s a standard K-Pop ballad, but with no perks musically. Funky Man features only Nana, Lizzy and that unknown singer, Yun Jo. It switches things up again by giving a “funky” pop tune. I’m not really into this track and in all honesty, it’s my least favourite song. It’s just a mess. The transition between the verses and choruses is rough and the vocal arrangement is just all over the place. All this and the use of annoying background vocals just doesn’t work for me. My Bell is Jungah’s solo piece and like Raina’s, the style fits her voice quite well. With that said, this sweeping ballad is really no different from How Are You Doing? to me and bores me a bit too. I’ll admit that Jungah sounds gorgeous and the arrangement is nice sounding, but it sounds like they picked an album track from a 2003 K-Pop album. I would’ve preferred Jungah to do an upbeat R&B number as I think her voice would work just as well with that. The album basically ends on Shampoo again, but this time as a Radio Edit. We are essentially getting a cut down version of the original, but for me, it’s always great to listen to this song again, so I thought it was a good closer.

Overall: Virgin was a decent album. It certainly has some stand out (new) tracks, but it started to falter around the end and became a tad dull. My main problem and I think with some people, is that it featured way too many slower tunes. Really, only Funky Man, Virgin and Bang stood out as the fast paced and hardhitting tracks, but I didn’t find all of them entertaining. I guess one could say it is no different from the usual K-Pop albums, which some believe are only good for their promotional tracks. I think that idea is seen here as I loved all the tracks promoted (past and present), but was not thrilled about the others.

B

[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

[Mini-Album] Orange Caramel; The Second Mini Album

The Second Mini Album is well the second mini-album by After School subgroup, Orange Caramel. A~ing♡ was used as the promotional track.

Released: November 18, 2010
1. A~ing♡ (아잉♡)
2. One Love
3. Yet… (아직…)
4. Standing Here (이곳에 서서)
5. A~ing♡ (Inst.)

The Second Mini Album opens with A~ing♡, which is pretty much a continuation of the style they led with Magic Girl. Compared to that track, I prefer this one though. I guess because of the more bubblegum qualities are toned down and that can really be heard in the arrangement. While there are still some instances, the majority of the music is leveled and features less of the theatrics as their previous promotional track. The vocals are still very “cute” and the girls sing with sweeter qualities to their voices. As a followup, it’s pretty good. One Love brings us something different with a more dance focused pop song. While there are qualities that make it stick to the Orange Caramel sound, it’s definitely more mature, at least arrangement-wise. While I do like it, I’m not particularly liking some of the editing done on the chorus because it comes off as a little too over-the-top. Vocally it’s decent although nothing standout. Like the previous mini-album, this one features a solo from Raina and it’s yet again the standout track for me. Compared to the last one, Yet… features a grander arrangement and a prominent introduction of strings. It’s a little on the ordinary Kpop ballad sound, but what really makes it stand out are the vocals. I find it easy to pinpoint Raina’s vocals since they are rather distinct, but here she sings with a slightly deeper pitch and comes off across a little different. It’s really well done though and her voice just flows through the song. Standing Here is the last song on the mini-album (not counting the instrumental) and is a Korean cover of M2M’s The Day You Went Away. What I like is that it keeps its nostalgic feel and doesn’t try to update it too much and ruin what was already good. I also really enjoy the Spanish twist with the guitar in the background on top of the more melancholic music. It’s well done vocally and I’m glad they didn’t have Raina go all out with belting or it would’ve broken the song a bit.

Overall: For a second mini-album, this one is much stronger than their first. First off, I personally enjoyed the promotional track more this time around and it’s much more tolerable than the first. Raina’s solo piece was also more enjoyable, although I feel Can’t You Delay Love fit her voice better. The other two songs were also pretty good listens.

A-

[Mini-Album] Orange Caramel; The First Mini Album

Orange Caramel is the first subgroup from After School and includes the members Raina, Nana and Lizzy. Their music is supposed to have a bubblegum Jpop twist to it as compared to After School’s more mature sound. Mmm, imagine them as the opposite of Tanpopo. XD The First Mini Album is well the first mini-album (despite the fact it only holds 4 songs, 2 being instrumentals). Magic Girl was used as the promotional track.

Released: June 17, 2010
1. Magic Girl (마법소녀(魔法少女))
2. Can’t You Delay Love (사랑을 미룰 순 없나요)
3. Magic Girl (Inst.)
4. Can’t You Delay Love (Inst.)

The first of the two songs is Magic Girl, a bubblegum pop song. This is certainly not my cup of tea, although the song itself isn’t bad and an ok listen from time to time. My problem is just that it’s too cute and in your face. What I did like about the song was how it was arranged. The music is very fairytale-like and matches well with the image. Vocally, the song was fine although the girls added a sweeter touch to their voices. My only issue has to be Raina’s adlibbing at the end. There were times where it was good and there were times where she didn’t sound good. Of course, all that sorta works itself out with Can’t You Delay Love, Raina’s solo ballad. This was definitely the stronger of the two songs for me just because it gave me an early-2000′s Kpop R&B feel. Nostalgia is definitely at work here and it sounds like something J or Lena Park would pull off. Raina’s voice slides through all the notes and she shows why she’s one of the main vocalists.

Overall: Orange Caramel stays true to its mission with the title track. It’s a sweet tune that is a good listen from time to time, but not exactly my cup of tea. The R&B ballad solo by Raina is what stole the show for me. A decent release altogether, although I wish there was a bit more to choose from.

B+