Battle of the B-Sides:: CL (2NE1): MTBD (Mental Breakdown) (멘붕)

  I had this one started over a year ago and then realized the bad timing, and decided to delay it a little bit because it would have been posted during Ramadan and would have been one of the most insensitive things I could have done due to the chanted bits of the Quran which have been removed (there was one concert in 2016 where the unedited version was the one used and CL apologized, corrected the mistake by ordering that all copies of the unedited version destroyed, and that's that). Which is why it got sent to the pile for me to forget about. I remembered about it during Ramadan again this year, which frustrated me and made me laugh because I needed to remember it during literally any other month of the year. Which is why I'm doing it now so that I don't forget about it again. I did find a version of it online that apparently is the unedited version, but we're not going to use that one.

In case you were unaware, CL is the leader of the recently reformed girl group, 2NE1, which originally debuted back in 2009. Now, to be completely honest, I don't know a ton about 2NE1 and they're not a group I listen to a lot. Or, much at all. But the roulette wheel gave me CL, and then shuffle gave me this song, and I looked it up to make sure that it had been performed, which it has.

This song comes off 2NE1's 2014 album Crush as CL's solo song. The Korean title is 멘봉. It was written by CL (DPR Ian, G-Dragon, Black Eyed Peas, Epik High, Taeyang, and LeeHi) and Teddy Park (HUNTR/X, BLACKPINK, BIGBANG, ALLDAY PROJECT, MEOVV, PSY, Sunmi, iKON, izna, Jeon Somi, Zion.T, MOBB, LeeHi, Cardi B, 1TYM, JINUSEAN, SE7EN, Rania, Dua Lipa, Kang Seung Yoon, and Lee Hyori).

I need someone to do a mashup of this and 4Minute's Crazy. I assume it's been done because I cannot be the only person who's had that thought. I'll look it up after I'm done with this. Remind me to do that.

The beginning also reminds me of the beginning of BANG BANG BANG every time the song restarts from where I've got it on repeat. I like that. That's funny, and since they were released around similar times and have a shared producer and company, it makes sense.

The beginning also spends time ramping up the tension and energy before CL swaggers into the space like a gravity well. The instrumental is sparse and fierce to allow her to have the most attention, but that only works if the person has the force to expand what's already there, which we'll be seeing in a bit when we get to the live performances. I can't wait for this section.

CL's use of consonance is amazing. I just want everyone to know that. And I'm not talking about the "멘붕" repetition, because that's there for crowd hype. The fact that the song has both "수리수리 마수리 수수리 사바하" and "bibidi bobidi boo" gives the song the consonance in two different languages, which is impressive. The repetition here is hypnotic and aggressive, raw in a way that mimics a spiraling mental breakdown, which is the point of the song. It's also got a clever change of rhythm during the two pre-choruses with the days of the week. Things may change or only seem to change, or things could only pretend to stay the same and actually change. 

And then the song seems to fake you out that it's fading out, but it ends on a repetition and one final burst from the hi-hats. MTBD does not go quietly into that good night, no more quietly than it arrives.

Hello, eyeliner.

And hello, CL. This is an eruption of an introduction using part of "The Baddest Female". There's actual fanfare to herald her arrival like a queen.

The choreography isn't too big, but it functions like a punctuation mark while she's strutting around the stage. (It also reminds me a lot of some G-Dragon choreography (what???? Who said that?)). At 3:07, that "멘붕" and her expression as she flips her head back is so perfect for the vibe of the song. And her part spider walk, part gallop on the "Karma, karma, karma" part is honestly a little weird, but the song's title is "mental breakdown" so that's just part and parcel. The side hip thrusts at 3:17 stylized like she's riding a motorcycle are both powerful and minimal, which would be hard to carry the correct amount of gravitas, if she wasn't CL.

Her voice goes almost childlike at 4:44 while she's laying on the stage on her side and then on her belly, kicking her feet behind her, reminding me quite a lot of Harley Quinn. Obviously this is live as there's a very clear difference between when she's rapping and when the backtrack is going, but her tone manipulation there is great, and oh, so fitting. 

And what's funny is, according to the comments, there are a lot of people who are so captivated by CL that they didn't realize the dancers with her are shirtless. I wasn't one of them because that is a lot of oil, or sweat, and the gleaming caught my attention, but even though I did notice them, that doesn't mean that they got most of my attention. She commands attention so well. And, get this, she's only twenty-three here.

"I'm back!" 

CL can hype up an empty room, and in this case, she's hyping up Sketchbook in 2020.

I'm not quite sure how to describe her top, or maybe it's a dress. I'm not entirely sure which it is, but it's gorgeous and A Statement in a blend of modern and traditional, and it shows off her fabulous legs. You can just see the line of her thigh muscles at 1:47.

You can hear the vibrato in her voice at 3:49. I know my ears are tuned to vibratos, but I was not expecting to be hearing that from her. I listened to that part a couple of times because it is just breaking through. Shiver-inducing. I love it.

I also love her hair at 3:03. I don't know why, but this is the hair style and color I have attached to her when I think about her, but the way it kind of sticks up makes me smile. The reason it's sticking up is because of the really high collar she's got on and how straightened it is. Doesn't change my fondness and amusement.

The headbanging at 2:23 is just vibes. It's all vibes.

Seven days a week, Karma's looking for you. Ah, that's such a statement, as much of a statement as her gorgeous upper piece of clothing. 

Okay, this one is from 2018 when she did MTV Asia Live In Singapore. 

I'm in love with this outfit. Her coat gives scientist vibes, she's got a corset on, and her pants are giving Plaideweave from Dragon Age: Inquisition. It's slightly unhinged, which, again, fits a song called "Mental Breakdown" so well. 

I love that the fans are rapping along with her so clearly at :46. They are picking up what she's throwing down and just going with it. 

Every performance of this that she's done has been so different. This one I think is the most unhinged of the bunch so far. She's twerking on the floor, whipping her hair back and forth, folding herself flat backwards. The energy is here, and I love the fan at 2:26. She is swooning over CL.

I love the attitude at 2:05 and the whole presentation of "Karma, karma, karma is looking for you." And the way she points directly at the camera? Yas, queen.

Do you see what I see? 

So back before Killing Voice, we had Killing Verse, where the rappers got to show up and show off. You're looking for 8:06 if that doesn't spit you out where I told it to.

Her hair here reminds me of my cousin. Actually, what she's wearing, I think I've seen my cousin wearing almost that exact same outfit, minus the cross and the nails because she's not into that, but still. Actually, I think I'm going to send this to her.

This one is weird for me to watch because of this. I'd just like everyone to know that.

It's the pulling at her hair that really sells it. Slightly less unhinged than some of the others, but this isn't a stage performance. This is just the soul and the vibes of the song in short with some big attitude.

And there is vibrato right there at the end. Swoon. You go, CL.

And there we have it! A mic drop from one of the rapping queens of K-Pop with a swagger and a pounce that demands attention. This was interesting. It's very thematically on point for the title of the song. I hope you enjoyed reading this and also watching the performances, because that's where the best parts of this song are. The song is great to listen to, but performed? Yes.

I'm definitely looking for more suggestions to be dropped into The Form that I can use to help with all of this, even if only to just give me a song. I like song suggestions. They give me goal posts and mile markers if nothing else. You can drop those as comments on any of these posts, or you can submit to The Form. As many as you like, even more than twenty. If you give me twenty of the same artist, it might take me a bit because I do like to spread songs out, but I'll get to them.

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