Lurker > KaZooo

Long road to July

Yes.

High hopes it's like the first EP where literally every track was good enough to be a single.

Arguably OMG has still remained my favorite 2023 release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMbxuvqzI6Y

End product is probably gonna be much of the same as before.

Low key should just have Taeyong cover Lucas in WayV if he's not gonna be there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAFgaI5D3Gc

FINALLY a proper version of Momo. I'm probably missing some B-sides in history, but I can't remember the last time she did was without the forced nasaly pitch.

No Giselle so far
So it's rapper Ningning time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elc4YGeWevo

KainWind posted...

I might go to kcon this year

Would want to hit up LA in August (?) but finances and work continue to to tighten more :/

today, is a new day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91VhCIQNjIc

unfortunately the CBX thing is going on behind this release, but yeah I F with EXO

Nice

Wasn't really looking for them, but finally noticed Triple S kinda went missing.

Actually looking into it, one suspicion is Blockberry acting against Modhaus for signing the former Loona members? Sounds absurd yet I can believe it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRBzn6lfB9E

kinda wanted to catch one one stop of the Agust D tour. I think he's been the most solid in branching out as a solo act and feature of the group.

Maybe it's the camerawork doing too many close-ups, but the choreography seemed a little too static and uncohesive at times. Unfortunately I've also got XG at the back of my mind as a benchmark of recent gen choreography with larger groups. I'd say Loona too, but RIP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Djhp0fAx8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C7y4PoBkCY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrYIOjs7K8E

So far I'm liking the album as opposed to singling out a single. It's packaged and arranged pretty well.

https://youtu.be/AltdZ_xMSA0

It's Friday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRPoURO64Sc

The chants for these performances...

Forgot which group/song, but I remember a GG getting overwhelming male chants that the members couldn't keep a straight face at some point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iwz6mrdYjc

Looking forward for the full listen of "What I Want"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uqWaGzQyxA

Everything goes steady except for Momo getting put up to being nasaly yet again

Believe there was one Set Me Free stage where she was at what sounded like a normal pitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B3-qJtU4wc

Seems like they're getting a bit more effort put into them like LS, I guess either way it's their first album incoming.

YamaChan posted...

I would gush about how great they were (and it wasn't even the best Mamamoo concert I've been to), but this reddit thread by someone who knows basically nothing about K-Pop says it all

https://www.reddit.com/r/kpop/comments/13qqvsx/never_really_heard_of_kpop_before_but_got_dragged/

I imagine part of the shock is because stateside music was strayed from vocal groups over time, but also because of how much of a product K-Pop artists created as well.

The amount of work to create a showcase is incredible. That's not to downplay other genres. It's just its own thing that I imagine a lot of people are no longer familiar with. Not all Millennial or GenZ kids gave real mind to pop groups because of the stigmas that existed, so to have it introduced from a point where it has an established popularity creates a new perspective.

I would like to go to a show with a VIP/Backstage pass really to just see everything in motion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAxY6-77Nnw

mesmerizing at this angle, probably even more so in-person.
Not sure if the choreographed sets were with true live vocals, although for the most part I've been under the impression they can actually back it up.

Touch posted...

https://youtu.be/RPNaYj6etb8

I love it. Gives me Rose Blue vibes which is my favorite song from them.

When I first heard it yesterday morning, I thought the stream auto play switched into J-Pop lol. Something about the structure of the chorus makes me think that.

The inevitable: NewJeans performing at a literal jeans concert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEURdXSwf4M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXrdNjiWGOk

I can't hate on the guys, but the Jiwoo x Somin sub unit for "Enemy" was of my favorite works from the group (and iirc BM and JSeph had a hand in writing it).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZs_cLHfnNA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1ApSB0FpAM

I think the original stage did Sakura more justice.
I kinda saw Fire in the Belly as a more fitting follow-up release, but they've made this work, impressively with revisiting the sample from The Hyrdra.

shironinja posted...

Babymonster - Dream but I can only dance to the rap part.

https://youtu.be/ynOtYmpZxak

Feel like writing in English really doesn't do much, but looking forward to the concept they commit to when they debut.

Spicy 4th win.

Spicy 2nd win

And apparently they're committed to the concept.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oup3jtgu9TU

Spicy got its first win

2 things

1) live vocals ftw

2) these US network shows features always look decades outdated, and it's not just the camera. It's like a dead(er) version of MTV's TRL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFev_VcW-bA

hmmm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HDeem-JaSY

Itzy x Chic May 2023

https://twitter.com/ITZYofficial/status/1658019578948227072
https://twitter.com/ITZYofficial/status/1658019604499927040
https://twitter.com/ITZYofficial/status/1658019558245138432
https://twitter.com/ITZYofficial/status/1658019658912665600
https://twitter.com/ITZYofficial/status/1658019642215129089

Yeji also had a pretty cool shoot for ELLE this month
https://twitter.com/ITZYofficial/status/1650314826944745472

I really don't want to feed into AI productions, but I'm gonna have to admit this is impressive, with being able to play with the language selection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l19AEmRvh-Y

paerarru posted...

I love Sakura's voice. Not that she has a good voice, sings/raps well or whatever, I just like it. It's different. I like that she's become more and more herself in LS. In Izone she had to take so many new things and changes, which is great but yeah. Seeing her thrive is so satisfying.

The changes in each group/era have really made it difficult. I imagine j-pop vs. k-pop vocal approaches are also different. Sucks because she's the most senior of the group but early on was treated like someone to hide vocally, behind a much younger and newer Eunchae, and Kazuha who (from what I understand) had like no experience with singing.

I feel like Sakura should pan out like Itzy Yuna just sound like herself. It may never be the highest notes or anything, but she doesn't need to provide that.

It's gonna be so much better seeing LS continue balance out with everyone leaving their mark on each track.

On another note, Chaewon has been killing the encores more than anyone else. I can't scrutinize too hard because the encore shouldn't be super serious, but it stands out when someone gets it down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAja_iEkv-4

Touch posted...

?

forgot to do a check on this topic for 2 days in case we lost it.

On another note, been running the My World album to see if more time makes it sit differently for me. I'll say the songs (despite some already being run-in ahead of the album) do package well. Gripes are still the same, although I'm more critical of the promotion more so than the concept. Again I get that SM has been through some things, and that probably got in the way. It's just that this album's success probably could've been different without needing to change the actual content.

Winter's looks on the stages have been something else imo. I kinda don't like the idea of cycling through so much (and RIP her hair if they've literally been recoloring that frequently instead of using hairpieces); but she's been so versatile. Blonde looks decent on Karina, but I think that should've stayed on Winter or Giselle longer.

Yikes!

Lots of Jihyo

It was put together really well. Only thing that sits a bit weird to me about the concept -- wouldn't want to say it's hypocritical, but technically as the product that they are, they have fed the stigmas they're addressing.

https://youtu.be/Os_heh8vPfs

Song grew on me a bit. I think it's a heavy production, but with a questionable direction.

They played Giselle with that OS jersey under the jacket, and on the opposite spectrum gave Karina a Clueless and U Drive Me Crazy era Britney looks.

They are/were in SoCal, and someone on their creative team introduced GTA SA to them.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/wsMfXIgMBdM

but of course,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sJxE2az-Q0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnWUmg6fEIw

It's a little more cinematic than the bonus comeback cut that was recorded in 4K/60 FPS, almost didn't need both. Nonetheless, impressive to see how much detail they're not trying to hide with all the closeups.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8yllhAe2BE

I can't say I didn't want them to try a different direction.
Little old for what looks like an HS concept.
But the change in makeup style is kinda interesting as their take on more western style.
Getting in quite a bit from their LA/SoCal trip to make this album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUusUqBiWlc

Eh, another that's been out since Hyperline
https://youtu.be/i0RCcSBPjuU

https://youtu.be/FtnfCyza8KY
I wouldn't say the mashup was done perfectly (I think because the vocal pitches dont go with each other) but Unforgiven was loosely reminding me of Not Shy.

Did a quick listen to the TripleS KRE album.

Early impression is it's ok. I can kinda appreciate they didn't forcefully do something different. However it does sound (unsurprisingly?) a bit like something that would come from LOONA.

That's crazy. Kyujin is like 16? And has to try to tide over that situation?

In all I guess that baby's life wasn't in real danger, but that's a stage disruption in bad taste.

Believe this was just a quick take (track video afterall)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL0Uxth2Edg

This has a more substantiated direction, though I am distracted by the fake freckles thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CC7OrEx5H4U

KainWind posted...

Unforgiven just passed Born Pink for most first day sales by a girl group. They are the only two to break a million.

Maybe I overestimated BP stans. :o

And, what timing SM has:
https://youtu.be/0xdB_vo4r2c
It doesn't help that we're aware of the album/comeback delays, but this feels a bit improvised.

I like how they put effort into the intro even outside the dedicated trailer. I know Antifragile had a noticeable investment, but man they were thrown a lot for this showcase.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDTQO6QTPZI

Unless my internet instantly got better, I don't recall other stages loading 60fps.
Zuha's top is pretty cool, and her vocals are able to take up the pre-chorus well.
The bridge is done really well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIBZ7UcQmDU

They do really well selling B-sides. I found it decent just from the audio when listening this morning, but the visual completes it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_g5k0_y8kQ

There was probably some help in the vocal backing, but I like how Sakura had some prominence here. Also generally cool how they made something of the "mess in distress/best dressed" bit without it seeming like an empty shoe-in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-AlVUXUrew

Rest found here. Flash Forward is a VCR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRF8sTP0I9U

I'm a little mixed about how much gets invested into production. Makes a great/amazing product, but it sets a bar that's probably too high for other companies to compete with imo. Only thing that beats that is relentless staning, like BP fans.

https://youtu.be/UBURTj20HXI

Right now I'm looking at the album as the sum of its parts. It hasn't quite made the hard impression like past albums but continues to build on them. Unforgiven runs like an obligatory lead single. Much of it reminds me of Antifragile, being just very upfront with the tempo and trying to instill the era's concept. I'll admit in that sense/approach, it feels repetitive - though I don't have any dislikes so far. The quality of their sound is still very distinct.

I'm indifferent about the re-recordings. We knew they existed. Just a matter of what they'd be packaged in.

Sakura got pretty much none of that first verse

But the switching in parts is so smooth. Yunjin doing the pre-chorus bent back being a Kazuha-lite is a cool touch.

Ruddager posted...

Chaeyeon going for her 5th survival show, clearly her company is not impressed with her solo results but I don't see this helping in the long run.

I'm not sure what can help her at this point.
Generally a solo venture never seemed like strong ideas for her and the other IZ ONE members did so.

Yena isn't entirely short of her own success, but I still think adding her to Everglow would've helped both sides. Granted a new group is entirely at the mercy of how well its put together.