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Song Review:: BABYMONSTER: HOT SAUCE {Pre-Release}

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Release date: 2025 July 1 Album tracklist: HOT SAUCE Album runtime: 2 minutes  The number of groups that I can't do anything with because they debuted fourteen-year-olds is unsettling, especially since a bunch of those fourteen-year-olds are now sixteen and I have to actively remember when they debuted so I don't forget they debuted as fourteen-year-olds. Ignoring how much better they'd be if they'd gotten more time to physically mature before debut, I fully anticipate this group dominating the charts in a few years, if YGE can get their act together and actually invest and reliably promote the group unlike Treasure, and also make sure that they get regular group releases unlike BLACKPINK. Gold star for squandering the talents they've got. A+. The brass instrumen gives the song a strong vibe. I'm getting some similar vibes to a few NCT songs, so that's a little bit of a delightful thing. I'm also pleased tht despite the very short runtime, e've got  ...

Song Review:: Kim Jaejoong (TVXQ!/JYJ/JK): Beauty in Chaos- ROCK STAR

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Release date: 2025 May 19 Album tracklist: In Chaos, ROCK STAR , Miracle, Last VoW, Goal In,  Album runtime: 17  minutes  There's another song of his that I need to do, but for now, I'll be satisfied with this one. I've decided that I really like his voice, having gone back through his discography a little, and given what he said on his show with Changsub, this album in particular will likely be right up my wheelhouse: namely, rock. Also evidenced by the name, but it is what it is. Okay. So. On to the second gen legend. What's funny about this is I know it's going to be classified as rock. Jaejoong, again, said as much during their discussion of their mutual love of rock music. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that. I would like to add that this is tapping into some country instincts that are very well-developed in me, so much so that I'm having to actively remember that this song is going to be labeled rock. If there isn't an acoustic guitar in the ...

Music Show Wins:: Week of 6/18 - 6/24

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  I'm simply really behind with this. I'm not through doing this. Anyway, we're running down to the end of the Seventeen comeback season, which opens the wins back up to everyone else, as we're clearly seeing below. As much as I've loved seeing Seventeen get their wins for their tenth anniversary, I'm glad for the variation now. Although we get another surprise win for Woodz. It's a welcome development, but a little baffling. I really hope that someone askes him how he feels about this when he gets out. I do have to say it's been a good week for soloists, though. I did not continue that with the After School Club re-run episode, however.  As always, the links in the graph below go to my reviews of those songs. Show Champion: Doyoung (NCT) "Memory" MCountdown: Seventeen "THUNDER" Music Bank: Doyoung (NCT) "Memory" Show! Music Core:  Doyoung (NCT) "Memory" Inkigayo: Woodz (UNIQ/X1) "Drowning" ASC Performanc...

Song Review:: AHOF: WHO WE ARE- 그곳에서 다시 만나기로 해 (Rendezvous)

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Release date: 2025 July 1 Album tracklist: The Little Star, The Universe, Rendezvous , Incompleted, Cosmic Underdog, AHOF Album runtime: 17 minutes  I'm sorry, everyone. I've been fully distracted by K-Pop Demon Hunters. If my Threads is any indication, I'm hardly the only one. I'm actually building a whole playlist of similar groups and songs so that I can introduce the newcomers to lots of K-Pop, and I kind of feel like my time has come, in my somewhat humble opinion, because I get to launch my enthusiasm and love for the music at them. But, enough about that. AHOF is actually a group I've been looking forward to their debut for the sole reason of a single member (because I didn't watch their survival show). My man Woongki is getting another shot, another chance, another group. Love this kid. He's had a rough go of it, and he just won't give up and I'm 3000% here to support him. It's just going to have to wait with this one because the maknae i...

Song Reviews:: BE BOYS: BE:1- I'M SO SORRY, BUT I LOVE YOU {Debut}

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Release date: 2025 June 18 Album tracklist: I'M SO SORRY, BUT I LOVE YOU ; if i ain't got you; CLOVER; BE There Album runtime: 13 minutes  This group has the first North Korean to debut as an idol! His name is Hakseong, he was a finalist on MakeMate1 (which I watched and was sad he didn't debut in NouerA , but couldn't be happier that he gets to debut now), and he has a gorgeous voice, you guys. And, best part, is that the whole lot are full adults except for the maknae, who turned seventeen less than a week ago, so the group passes both of my criteria. I actually would have been really sad if one of the two didn't pass because I fell so far head over heels for one of the b-sides. I'll talk about them later. Because I'm giving this group a little special attention. I'm rooting so hard for this group.  That guitar is loud and in front, very much a seventies sound. Actually I'm reminded of one of the songs from Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed soundtr...

Song Review:: QWER: In a million noises, I'll be your harmony- Dear

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Release date: 2025 June 9 Album tracklist: Dear , Be Happy, #QWER, OVERDRIVE, D-Day, Yours Sincerely Album runtime: 16  minutes  That is a Fall Out Boy level of album title. I like it. I also hope that's a literal translation from the Korean title because very little would bring me more joy right now. QWER is a fantastic band, and, actually, my first introduction to them as it were was from someone on Instagram talking about what Koreans were listening to and QWER was on that list. And then I started doing this and got to review and understood the hype. This track is surprisingly understated. It's got a lot of quieter spots, and even when the instrumentals are loud, they aren't at a full, knock-you-down blast. They just sound louder because of the quiet, and that's what we call effective sound design. I'm not fully enamored by the instrumental track, but I also suspect that will change within a month or so. I like it. Don't get me wrong. But even though I'm ...

Song Review:: Kang Daniel (Wanna One): Mess

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Release date: 2025 April 9 Album tracklist: Mess , Mess - Instrumental Album runtime: 5 minutes  Do I have to do the title track for his new mini album? Yes. Will I get to it soon? Yes, because Episode  has been getting wins on music shows! Yay! I'm slowly getting my backlog worked on, and I wanted to do this one. However, I'm deeply disappointed by the runtime. I mean, look at that. But this is Kang Daniel, and I've come to realize how good his voice is.  There's something very old about the instrumental track. I can't decide if it's the plink of the high notes on the piano or if it's from the slightly staticky overlay to most of the song, or maybe it's both, as both of those elements are found in music from the thirties. Although, to be fair, the one isn't necessarily on purpose but rather from the degradation of the recordings. The rest of the instrumentals aren't from the thirties. We've got the underwater echo that I love so much, but it...