Rain and Hyori Have Gone Insane

Photo Credit: sixtofive1982; omonatheydidnt

Yeeeeaaaahhh...I really want to say something about it...but I've got nothing. I will say I found it incredibly hilarious when Rain's pictures came out, the first thing I heard from most people:

'They better not screw up MBLAQ's comeback!'

*Sighs* I love you both...but WTF were you thinking?

The ROL

Potential Alert #2: Jeremy Liu

This is why I'm fickle. How does anyone expect me to stick with one or a few artists when they keep churning out outrageously talented newbies like...Jeremy Liu.


Jeremy comes from a distinguished background, having both parents being reputed musical and thespian artists in Taiwan. As a child, influence in the liberal arts was strong, and his parents nurtured his interest and natural talent in music. Schooled in the United States, Jeremy has much western influence in his musical creations, especially that of Funk and Jazz. The most intriguing aspect of Jeremy's music is the diversity and uniqueness of his melodies. It's not your usual mainstream fare, of R&B or pop, but rather un-catchy themes in a surprisingly acceptable style.


Released 12.31.2009
Track List

1. 佔據 (Occupy)
2. Mr. Why
3. 呼叫機器人 (Calling, Robot)
4. 玫瑰 (Rose)
5. 想 (Ponder)
6. 狐狸是誰 (Who is Fox)
7. 住在動物園 (Living at the Zoo)
8. 空傷 (Empty Injury)
9. 連結 (Link)
10. 延長線 (Extension)

Jeremy Liu - Mr. Why

Jeremy Liu's voice, unfortunately, reminds me of many ABC (American-Born Chinese) singers, such as Wang Lee Hom, in that particular way of pronouncing Mandarin Chinese. Therefore, it does not strike me as being ultimately unique. However, that does not reflect his singing ability, which showcases great range and expressive technique, nor his amazing composition talent, which I find completely enthralling and diverse.

Jeremy Liu - Ponder
Song: Jeremy Liu

Credit: supernicemusic

Jeremy Liu - Mr. Why
Song: Jeremy Liu

Credit: blump3music

Of my favorite picks for Best New Artist at this year's Golden Melody Awards in Taiwan, Jeremy, so far poses the most threat to my other favorite, Million Dollar Star 3rd season winner, songstress Lala Xu. As I'm a huge fan of talented, self-composing female singing artists, and because of the dominance of male winners in this category, I would prefer Lala win this year. Unfortunately, Lala has some stiff competition.

Jeremy Liu - Rose (Movie Barbed Hills Theme Song)
Song: Jeremy Liu

Credit: warnertaiwan

As I don't speak any of the other 55 Chinese ethnic dialects, I can not confirm the meanings of the ethnic singing in the background of Rose. However, I really do admire and appreciate the creative fusion of "folk" or "minority" music integrated into contemporary styles. With the rising popularity of minority ethnic stars, or those of mixed Chinese ethnicities, it is no wonder that more and more entertainment arenas are exploring the cultural wonders of these ethnic nationalities.

The GM

ROL Recommends #3: Epik High ft. Infinite-Run

Video Credit: AsianMusicVideoHD

You May Not Know Of...#6: Casker

Information
Name: Casker
Label: Lupin Records
Debuted: February 8, 2003

Members
Lee Juno (이준오)-programming, synths, samples, dsp
Lee Yung Jin (이융진)-vocals
Lee Jin Wook (이진욱) -acoustic and electric pianos

Facts
-Similar style as Clazziquai.
-Electro-modern rock style
-Recorded the song “Double Shot” for the highly successful drama “The 1st Shop Of Coffee Prince” starring Yoon Eun Hye and Gong Yoo.
-Participated in the album “Story of Cats” that was released to spread the word about their feelings towards man's best friends. The album also featured such artists as Humming Urban Stereo and Toy.
-Yoong Jin was featured in Epik High’s “Love Love Love”.

Discography
First album: The Planet Built With Steel-Released: February 8, 2003
Second album: Skylab-Released: May 17, 2005
Third album: Between-Released: December 4, 2006
Fourth album: Polyester Heart-Released: December 22, 2008
First mini album: Your Songs-Released: November 26, 2009

Links
Soompi Thread: Click Here

Videos
Casker-정전기 (Live)



Video Credit: orienkorean

Casker-Nobody Knows



Video Credit: riano

Casker-Nabi Buin



Video Credit: orienkorean

The ROL

ROL Recommends #2: Let's give it up for the rappers!

I could go on and on with videos featuring my favorite rappers (even though I kinda did *lol*). There are so many more rappers I can recommend, but I don't have the space to put them all here. I'll try to feature more in the future through this section and the "You May Not Know Of..." section, so keep an eye out for it in the future!

If you have any more sugestions, feel free to comment or send me suggestions through the ways on the sidebar!

Outsider-Aquaintence (Live):



Video Credit: TheAMFSandy2

Epik High-Rocksteady (Eng. ver.)



Video Credit: choi911z

Drunken Tiger-Monster (Live)



Video Credit:KoreanTommy2

DJ Doc-I Wanna (Live)



Video Credit:deuxmv

Jinusean-Phone Number (Live)



Video Credit: chiunev

And now...the girls

Lexy ft. Taeyang-Get Up (Live)



Video Credit: MsRosj

Tasha-Black Happiness MV



Video Credit: rainieyang09

2NE1's CL Rap Practice



Video Credit: lanladay

WG's Yoobin Rap



Video Credit: jypentertainment

The ROL

J-D Squared and...SHINee?

As the readers of this blog know, GM is notoriously critical and frank. She credits herself for being practical, realistic and above most of my “superficiality”.

So you can guess my reaction when out of the blue one day, she said: “I like SHINee.”

“What?! You.. like SHINee?” Mind you, her comment may seem un-obssessive to you, but knowing GM, that self-prompted admission alone signals how much she has latched onto this group.

“Yea, I like them…I mean, I like their music…and they can dance and sing well at the same time. They’re adorable.” Adorable? When did you ever like skinny, effeminate K-pop groups?

***

In order to protect my integrity, and defend myself against the implications stated above, I, GM, will first describe how I feel about Kpop. Unlike ROL, who thinks Kpop is similar to chocolate, the more the better, until you hit a threshold and it becomes sickening; I think chocolate is too kind a word to describe the world of Kpop. To me, it has been more of a plague. It spreads through multiple mediums, is highly contagious and dangerously detrimental to a person's health. Just look at all those symptoms – incessant screaming, foolish chanting (albeit, very organized and rhythmic), lack of cohesive thought when spending funds, strange tactics to win the affections of their idols, and the worst part is, these infectious victims don’t feel satisfied with just themselves being infected, they also want to drag everyone else down with them.

Therefore, I've treated this tumultuous and infectious disease with a sort of detached aloofness. I listen to Kpop...but never too much. I like Kpop idols...but never get close. To me, it's something that's inevitably there and if I'm in the mood, I enjoy it for what it is. Note: This does not include the indie, lesser mainstream and less popular K music/artists that I like.

In order to explain my "sudden" proclamation of liking for SHINee, I must go back to 9 years prior when I started watching K varieties. Shinhwa was the first Kpop group that I liked, not for their music, but for their member appearances in K varieties, and it was more of a positive opinion than true fandom. As the years passed, I moved from Shinhwa to Super Junior to 2AM, and inevitably to SHINee. But unlike before where it was personalities in varieties that appealed to me, or a few notably talented members that got my attention, I found myself impressed with the overall quality of this "boy" group; in terms of music selection, dance talent, singing capabilities, distinct individualism of each member, and group cohesiveness on live performances. It's the first time I'm attached and impressed by all members of a group, almost equally.

SHINee members, like their predecessors, DBSK, are each well-rounded in musical talent and dancing. Usually in a Kpop group, members are designated certain roles, often resulting in some being good singers but not great dancers, while others are rappers but can not sing, etc. An imbalance of skill, essentially. Therefore, I've been impressed with the range of talents of each member in SHINee - in comparison to the current crop of boy groups. SME may be known as a ruthless and perfidious company that imbibes upon and exhausts its artists, but one thing I must say is the training on all essentials of being an artist, and emphasis on differentiating and diversifying their artists' talents/images are exemplary.

So what makes SHINee different for me? Firstly, I did not discover SHINee through variety programs. I discovered them through a live Music Core performance, a random video sent to me by one of my many Kpop addicts. For once, I was more than slightly amused, I was actually impressed. I've seen many live performances of Kpop groups (hard to avoid when my Kpop-addicted net buddies are constantly trying to pull me under), but they mostly ranged from moderately interesting to distasteful. Only DBSK and BEG ever got more than "positive opinion" ratings for their live performances.

I'm still averse to immersing myself into the world of Kpop, but gradual influence from those around me have made me seen more of the silver linings. And if my ROL has any say, I'm sure to be converted one of these days.

***

Seriously, SHINee?! I mean, I can see GM liking a particular idol like Brian, Heechul, and Jo Kwon, through watching variety programs, but a whole idol group? Especially one she considers “baby-ish” and "girly"? But hey, whatever floats her boat. As long as I get her "infected," I don't care which group does it.

We may be quite polar opposites and bicker often, but there are several things that unite us.... SHINee!

J-D Squared

P.S. OK, this was such a random post, but it at least proves what big dorks we are.

Potential Alert: Jia Hui Wu

It's sad, really...to think how high I get off of discovering new, talented potentials, but the truth is... I love it and am addicted to it - that kind of excitement, thrill, delirium that comes with finding the sparkle in new artists. Of course, this also results in my overwhelming desire to share my discoveries. So, here's my first "Potential Alert" for 2010.



JiaHui Wu - I Crazy You
Released: 12.25.2009

1. 虽然我愿意 (Even Though I'm Willing)
2. 无家可归 (No Home to Return)
3. 听听 (Listen)
4. 我疯你 (I Crazy You)
5. 一个人白头 (One Person Till Old)
6. 肚子饿了(Hungry)
7. 空缺 (Vancancy)
8. 要你说爱我 (Want You to Say Love Me)
9. 童话傻瓜 (Fairy Tale Fool)
10. 远距离 (Distance)
11. 一人一半 (A Half Per Person)

Download

Jia Hui Wu is not new to the music industry. In fact he's one of the most acclaimed song and lyric writers of his generation. From Malaysia and at the age of 28 (he barely looks like he's 20), Jia Hui Wu has released 150+ songs, obtained plethora of songwriter/music awards, and has written songs for Stephanie Sun, Jacky Cheung, Karen Mok, Leon Lai, Tanya Cai, Joey Yung, Tao Jin Ying (MC Hostess of Million Dollar Star), Vic Zhou, Jerry Yan, among others. Though more people recognize his songs than his face, he's highly sought-after and respected within the industry, and I think finally releasing his own album in Taiwan will inspire more great works from Jia Hui Wu.

Jerry Yan - One Meter (一公尺)
Song: Wu Jia Hui

Credit: crystaljerry

What I like about Jia Hui is his modesty yet inspiring individuality. His shy demeanor and slight appearance may strike you as a common bystander, but when he sings, plays his guitar, you're instantly grabbed by his soul-soothing, clairvoyant voice and musical talent. It's as if his musical creations balance and contrast his singing so there is a lot of defining unity to his compositions. Perhaps that's why I lean toward singing artists who write and sing their own songs - it has this unique wholesomeness to it. I absolutely adore this album, particularly its Theme singles - I Crazy You, Even Though I'm Willing, A Half Per Person, Listen, Want You to Say Love Me, Fairy Tale Fool...Ok, you get the point.

Jia Hui Wu - I Crazy You (Live)
Song/Lyrics: Jia Hui Wu

Credit: orangeshadow0514
*Note the screeching reaction of the female sub-host after his performance - that was mine as well - minus the high lilting voice.*

Jia Hui Wu - I Crazy You
Song/Lyrics: Jia Hui Wu

Credit: blump3music

Jia Hui Wu - Even Though I'm Willing
Song/Lyrics: Jia Hui Wu

Credit: hotstudio1979

Jia Hui Wu - A Half Per Person

Credit: JuliaKgrl

The GM

ROL Recommends #1

MeiLin-Innocent Girl

Korean Ver.



Video Credit: Kaboomzable

Innocent Girl Japanese PV



Video Credit: SuG0I

Found out about this girl on allkpop and I fell in love with her voice and the song.

I vaguely remember her as som2, but hearing she was going to be "the second BoA" kinda turned me off of listening to her. I wish I hadn't because her voice is amazing (without autotune!) and all four songs on her album are good.

I can't wait for her comeback!

The ROL

You May Not Know Of...#5: Jung Chul

Information
Name: Jung Chul

Full Name: Choi Jung Chul

Label: Loen Entertainment

Birthdate: March 2, 1984 (26 y/o)

Facts About Jung Chul
-Didn’t debut as a solo artist, but in a short-lived group called “Q.Q.Q”
-His solo artist debut came at the age of 19 with the album “Now and Forever”
-Most people will know him for singing the song “My Love”, which was the ending theme song for the drama “Sang-Doo, Let’s Go To School” starring singer Rain and actress Gong Hyo Jin.
-He is the son of Nami, one of the top female singers in the late 80’s and 90’s.
-For his third album “Identity” he started using his full name Choi Jung Chul for many reasons (which are explained in his songs) such as breaking away from the shadow of his famous mother and making a name for himself in the Korean music scene.

Discography
Group debut album (Q.Q.Q.): This Is Q.O.Q. First Album-Release Date: March 27, 2002
Group solo album: Now And Forever-Release Date: August 14, 2003
First mini album: It Rains-Release Date: March 15, 2004
Second album: Hear-Release Date: March 5, 2005
First single album: If I Could Singles-Release Date: January 4, 2007
First collaboration: Jung Chul & Jo PD-The Return Of The Prodigal Son - 돌아온 탕아-Release Date: September 21, 2007
Third album: Identity-Release Date: October 14, 2007
Second mini album: Marriage-Release Date: June 24, 2008

Links
Soompi Page

Videos
Jung Chul ft. Ga-In of Brown Eyed Girls-Marriage (The song also has the girl who played Ginger in the highly successful Korean adaptation of "Hana Yori Dango" (Boys Over Flowers)



Video Credit: SMarie7

Live performance of Marriage ft. Solbi



Video Credit: berlala112

Jung Chul-My Love (ending theme song to “Sang-Doo, Let’s Go To School”)



Video Credit: VietJaY

Jung Chul-One (not the full song)



Video Credit: mishiono

ROL Recommends: Jung Chul-Las Vegas: The song is very soothing and his voice is AMAZING!!



Video Credit: JD2Squared

The ROL

Anson Hu Returns with “Music Life”

If you don’t know who Anson Hu is – get to know him. Not known for looks (who cares?) nor smooth-talking charm (can turn me off if not done “right”), Anson is recognized for his diverse musical talents and amazing voice. To provide some reasoning as to why I’m unusually passionate about this guy, I’ve posted the following clips – view in order posted for best comprehension. Also suggest loading videos first before watching.

Show Luo – One Man Show

Credit: roland149

Anson Hu – One Man Show Rendition

Credit: faloveshow2

Yes, it was a spontaneous, on-the-spot rendition. No, Anson is not extremely familiar with the song. Yes, Show Luo, the original singer and host of 100% Entertainment was so impressed he was stuttering and speechless, as was his co-host Alien Huang (minus the stuttering), another singer-actor.

Anson Hu – Waiting For You
Song: Anson Hu
MV Appearances: Ariel Lin & Mike He

Credit: Juliakgrl

Anson Hu is a rarity in Chinese mando-pop industry. Back before all the singing competitions brought many young idols to fame, China’s music industry was heavily doused with older, schooled, and critically acclaimed singers – “pop-y” songs and ‘idol” artists mostly imported from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, or Malay/Singapore. In fact, the trend of “imported idols” is still strong in China’s music sphere today (though China is successfully breeding its own generation of pop idols). To release a self-written c-pop album at the tender age of 18 back in 2002 was consider unusual, daring, and against mainland China’s industry norm – after all, Anson would have been competing with the likes of Leehom Wang, F4, the then red-hot newbie Jay Chow, etc. and the stigma of China’s traditionalism in music. To many, he is considered one of the pioneers in the current wave of young, popular, Chinese idol singers who can compete with popular non-mainland Chinese artists.

*Anson Hu – Emperor*
Song/Lyrics: Anson Hu

Credit: Tamahoma

Touting over a billion people, China is a "super" market for many countries, music or otherwise. So, it’s not unusual to see Chinese fans learning about and eventually going crazy over a Kpop, TWpop, HKpop, Jpop singer or group – but how often do you see other regions going wild over a young C-pop idol? Most likely never. After winning multiple awards and producing hit song after hit song, other mandarin-speaking regions finally started to recognize his name and face. In 2007, Anson Hu hit the first great height of his career, releasing Men’s Songs and nabbing almost all major music awards in China with his hit single, A Man’s KTV, a song incorporating 4 lines from classic KTV songs sang by lengendary Jacky Cheung and “King of Songs” Eason Chan. His huge popularity in the mainland finally triggered Anson’s expansion to regions such as Taiwan, often considered as the most innovative and refreshing cultivator of mando-pop music. His talent, as shown in the clips above, voice, hit songs, and somewhat 4-D personality attracted many non-mainland China fans. It was the first time I felt a Chinese C-pop singing artist so favored by another region’s fans.

Anson Hu - A Man’s KTV
Song: Anson Hu

Credit: binkyo

Of the many things I love about Anson, his musical talent, voice, singing range, 4-D personality, stunted speech (sometimes he’s rather inept in vocalizing his thoughts), I admire the dedication and pride he has in his music the most. Anson Hu’s music has many cultural and “oldies” influences (before “retro” became the new “in” for mainland artists), but he’s able to integrate modern styles, such as R&B, rap, funk, rock, etc. into his compositions. A great example combining traditional and modern music is the following song.

Anson Hu – Departing Poem
Song: Anson Hu

Credit: usao10



Track List:
01. 你买单还我买单 (You Take the Tab or do I)
02. 失业情歌 (Laid-Off Love Song)
03. 笔墨登场 (Entrance of Calligraphy)
04. 不曾后悔 (Never Regretted)
05. 罗马假日 (Roman Holiday)
06. 空位 (Empty Space)
07. 林妹妹 (Sister Lin)
08. FUNRUN
09. 勇敢去爱吧 (Love Like No Other)
10. 父亲 (Father)
11. 闪亮的日子(Glorious Days)

Anson Hu - Music Life

After his hit and award-winning album 2 years ago, Anson releases Music Life on 12.08.09. The album includes songs that have been released in commercials, singles, and ceremonies in the last 2 years, but also new never-before-released compositions like Laid Off Love Song aka the more ambiguous title Music Life. I have yet to be disappointed with Anson’s albums, as he’s constantly incorporating current themes to retain my attention. In his last mini-album, he renditioned old 1930s-1950s songs to celebrate China’s 60th anniversary. This time, Anson’s newest album touches on the global recession and economic impact on people’s lives. Looks like I’m going to be rolling into my 8th year as a fan. ^_^

Anson Hu – Laid Off Love Song aka Music Life
Song: Anson Hu

Credit: Fountainpark723

So have I converted you yet? If not, go to my Youtube page for more Anson Hu songs and live performances – that should do the trick.

The God Motha

The Time Is Upon Us

*Note* Updated with full MV of 죽어도 못보내



Over the last few days, teasers for 2AM's new song (set to be released on Jan 21st) have slowly appeared exciting fans everywhere. Aside from a new look, the big question plaguing fans is whether the song will be another slow song or is 2AM branching out to with a dance track?

The first teaser had a guy in the shadows (apparently one of the 2AM members) dancing, yet the next two teasers with 2AM members Seulong and Jinwoon are of them singing a slow song. Then just a few hours ago an audio sample was released with "To Her" being the title of the track and featuring 2PM member Chansung rapping.

Either way, I think the one thing that all fans can agree on is that the song will be hot and I wish thursday would get here faster. Judge for yourself by watching all the teasers below, updated with Changmin's and Jo Kwon's teaser MV's that were just released!

2AM-죽어도 못보내 Teaser



Seulong's Teaser



Jinwoon's Teaser



Changmin's Teaser



Jo Kwon's Teaser



2AM-To Her Audio Teaser (Feat. Chansung from 2PM)



BTS of "To Her" Recording (2AM & Chansung)



2AM-죽어도 못보내 Full MV



Video credits: asnassassin2; oneday2thailand; thefunkyveggie; 2odsubs1; 2am

The ROL

The Talented Release Albums, Part II

Track List :
01. Oh Yeah!!!
02. 七天 (7 Day)
03. Tomato
04. 爱情，习作 (Love, Practice)
05. I No
06. 开心餐厅 (Happy Restaurant)
07. 吉米宝贝 (Jimmy Baby)
08. 风雨 (Windy Rain)
09. A
10. 最寂寞的時候 (When Most Alone)
11. 听见了吗? (Do You Hear?)
12. 再见勾勾 (Goodbye Pinky Swear)

Crown Lu - 7 Day

After grabbing the 2009 Golden Melody Award’s (Taiwanese Grammy) Best New Artist amid tough competition, Crowd Lu released his 2nd album on 10.31.2009. Crowd Lu is one of those unique people you cannot avoid noticing. Perhaps it’s his “geeky-homebody” getup or his weird, yet endearing train of thought that has much of Taiwan’s HS/college students in an uproar and urge to mimick his iconic style/music. Crowd, or Vitas, as he’s often referred to because of his ability to sing in high-pitched “dolphin” ranges (so termed because the pitches are so high only dolphins can hear it), was once in a devastating car accident that almost crippled his leg.

Yet, the guy is amazingly go-lucky, happy, and innocent in the way he views music, the world, and people around him. There is a boundless, free, and real quality to his self-written, self-accompanied, and self-sang music. And perhaps that is his greatest appeal; that his music speaks to practical, everyday life while maintaining a sliver of humor, innocence, and brightness to it.

Crowd Lu – Oh Yeah!!!
Song/Lyrics: Crowd Lu

Credit: supernicemusic

Crowd Lu – I No
Song/Lyrics: Crowd Lu

Credit: supernicemusic




Track List :
01. 看月亮爬上来 (Watching the Moon Climb Up)
02. 穿越人海 (Passing Through the Crowd)
03. 何必在一起 (Why Bother Being Together)
04. 微笑 (Smile)
05. 量身订做 (Specifically Tailored)
06. 勿忘心安 (Memorable Peace)
07. 龙鳞 (Scales of the Dragon)

Jason Zhang - Through Trilogy

Jason Zhang released 3rd album, Through Trilogy, on 11.02.09. He was most broadly recognized as being a talented contestant of Hunan Broadcasting Station’s SuperBoy, a spinoff from the sensational SuperGirl singing competitions, in 2007. Talent, heart, passion for music, and filial duty describes Jason Zhang. Coming from a destitute family, Jason matured young, knowing the value of family and hard work. Perhaps it was his reticence and seriousness that contributed to his lower likeability/popularity in the competition, but that didn't stop Jason from showing the country his amazing talents as a singer and artist.

After placing 4th in SuperBoys (a complete travesty in my opinion b/c I judge singing competitions by talent and artist-range potential, not physical appearance and popularity), Jason’s fans rallied behind the multi-talented singer. He obtained much support from the MC’s of the singing competition, and even gained a touchingly-sweet romance with Nana Xie - a comedic, tomboyish, highly popular MC-host of the Hunan Station (their friendship-turned-romance was highly controversial at the time of the competition).
Now, Jason is considered one of the most popular and sought-after young male singers in China, as well as one of the most happy and fulfilled. It only shows that heart, hard-work, and talent can surpass the adversities of poverty, physical appearance, social aptitude, and any societal measure.

Jason Zhang – Watching the Moon Climb Up

Credit: fountainpark723

Jason Zhang – After Tomorrow

Credit: coolxuemin

Having already been somewhat jaded from previous SuperGirl competitions, the 2007 SuperBoy was the last straw for me. It proved to prevent all future viewings of Hunan Station’s singing competitions. My favorite contestants at the time of the SuperGirl and SuperBoy competitions, who I thought should have won…did not win. But if I were to be shameless and direct, almost all of them have succeeded in greater bounds than the ones who did win, at least in the way I view "success."

Of my favorites included Jane Zhang, Bibi Zhou, Jason Zhang, Wang Zhen Liang, and a few other extremely musically talented singers. So even though I was miffed at the popularity contests of these competitions, I am rectified by the fact that the industry and public at large gave them their due opportunities, successes, and awards. I am infinitely happy that China’s music industry has not receded to pure superficiality as it came dangerously close to between the years of 2004 – 2008. I think there is more of a balance now between the commercially superficial and the illuminative deep in China's music industry, but it can definitely learn from Taiwan and spur more popular, yet innovative and creative musical talents. I would love if a majority of C-pop idols start creating new sounds, and writing their own music. With a country of more than a billion brains, you gotta think there are more innovative ideas out there.

The God Motha

The Talented Release Albums, Part I

As I was away on vacay, a slew of talented artists and newbies came out with new albums. Here they are in chronological release date order…



Track List:
01. 她扔了根火柴(国) (She Threw Away A Match)
02. 月亮说 (Moon Says)
03. 大笨钟 (Bulky Clock)
04. 低科技之歌 (Low Tech Song)
05. I’m Sorry
06. 我不打算流眼泪(国) (I Don’t Plan on Crying – Mandarin)
07. 小团圆 (Little Reunion)
08. 记住 记住 (合唱: 王菀之&常石磊) (Remember Remember – Duet)
09. 粒糖有毒 (Candy Has Poison)
10. 迷失艺术 (Art of Confusion)
11. 月亮事(国) (Moon Business – Mandarin)
12. Mary Had A Little Clock

Ivana Wong - On The Wings of Time

Ivana Wong, one of the first and most notable female song-writing and singing artist of the Cantonese music industry, as many of their female singers did (do) not compose and are heavily packaged by record companies, released On Wings of Time on 10.29.09. She was, to me, a breakthrough from the dance-y, pop-y, and flashy young generation of Canto singers in the early 2000s. Her music is not usually mainstream and has more of a soul-searching aspect to it, but I love the originality and creativity of her works – very melancholy indie.

Ivana Wong – Moon Says, Bulky Clock
Songs/Lyrics: Ivana Wong

Credit: minishopm12




Track List:
01. 雨后天空 (The Sky After Rain)
02. 画沙 (Painting Sand)
03. 唱首歌因为思念 (Sing A Song For Missing You)
04. 热气球 (Hot Air Balloon)
05. 笨鱼曲 (Stupid Fish Song)
06. I’m Sorry
07. 你不爱我了 (You Don’t Love Me)
08. 舞带威胁 (Dance of Coercion)
09. 很旅行的爱情 (A Love That Is Journey)
10. 那年我们一起许愿 (The Year We Made A Wish)

Cindy Yen

New artist Cindy Yen debuts with prominent support from legendary Jay Chow, lyricist Fang Wen Shan, and magnate record company Sony Music on 10.30.2009. Cindy’s album has Jazz/R&B influences and instrumental emphasis due to her background. The girl is skilled in both piano and violin, and writes her own music – following the growing trend of musically inclined female artists in Taiwan. And to show off these attributes, Sony released the following theme track MV, featuring a duet with Jay Chow and Cindy’s instrumental talents.

Cindy Yen & Jay Chow – Painting Sand
Song: Cindy Yen
Lyrics: Fang Wen Shan

Credit: mleXiHuanNi




Track List :
01. 关于我 (About Me)
02. 解high人 (Solve For “High” Person)
03. 看见什么吃什么 (Eat What You See)
04. 耳朵 (Ear)
05. 飘 (Drift)
06. 说谎 (Lying)
07. 心酸 (Heartache)
08. 唐人街 (Tang Ren Road)
09. 歇斯底里 (Hysteria)
10. 另一个自己 (Another Me)
11. 感同身受 (Similar Feelings)

Yoga Lin

Yoga Lin, one of my favorite contestants and the winner of Taiwan’s Million Dollar Star singing competition, the legendary Season 1, released his 2nd album on 10.30.2009. Of this 1st season, a record number of now-famous talented singer discoveries were made, including Yoga Lin, Jam Hsiao, and Aska Yang Zhong Wei. Yoga Lin, as the youngest “Prince” of the “Four Princes” of Season 1, is often compared to his idol, "King of Songs" and "Singing Genius," Eason Chan, who also arose out of a singing competition and has a very laid-back, mesmerizing, unique interpretation of song vocalization. Like Eason, Yoga has an uncanny ability to express & make “unpopular” or “cold” songs, likeable. His record company is not averse to spending big bucks on this now 22 year old “singing genius” – spending record budgets on a newbie, hoping to nurture another "King of Songs."

For Yoga’s debut album, Mysterious Guest, Click Here!

Yoga Lin – Lying

Credit: mengsion

The God Motha

So Wait...HyunA Can't Watch Her Own MV??

But honestly, was anyone really shocked by this? No Seriously?

On January 14th, HyunA's first solo MV for her single "Change" was slapped with the dreaded (could be coveted on how you look at it) "19+ age audience" label.

“After deliberation, the music video has been deemed too sexual, so it will only be viewable for a 19+ age audience,” a Cube Entertainment rep revealed.

And...you didn't realize this when you were making the video?? Epic Fail.



Video Credit: ProjectAbracadabra

The ROL

2009 Male Newcomer, Singer: Abin

Normally, I would briefly introduce an artist and give a sampling of the songs that characterizes the artist’s style and/or songs I like, but I’ve been moody due to a serious bout of the common cold, so I’m going to babble a bit.

As most have come to realize, I have a “thing” for artists who are creatively unique, whether it’s singing, acting, personality, or whatever characteristics/talents the person possesses. I discovered Abin (pronounced Ah Bing) in early 2009 - Febuary to be exact - several months after he had released his album in Taiwan, and only in association with Penny Dai, another talented, creative song-writer/singer/director that I love. Well, I was knocked over by this guy’s ability to touch me with such sensitive and spell-binding singing and song-writing, and don’t get me started with the soulful guitar playing – I fell so hard you could literally peel me off the sidewalk.

So was I a little miffed that Abin didn’t make the nomination for the Taiwanese Grammy’s? You bet. But considering the stiff competition - 3 of the 5 nominees were Million Dollar Star contestants, and many other newcomers who were also skipped out of a nomination - I was pacified in knowing that Abin’s singing career in Taiwan had at least got off to a great start. Also, I liked all of the nominees so it wasn’t like I wanted them to not get their nominations.

Abin is not new to the music industry, having released albums in Malaysia, but 2009 was really the year he expanded from Malay to Taiwan and the broader Chinese/Mandarin music market. Part of his reason for not giving up on being a singer/song-writer was to realize his father’s dream, who passed away without making it as a singer. I also love that he’s nice and soft-spoken, but sticks to his philosophies and is – you all know I’m a sucker for this – an independent thinker – which makes guys easily irresistible to me. I won’t expound any further in case your expectations get too high, so here’s Abin with his 2 Taiwan-released albums.

Abin Fang – Good Person Abin [Debut Released 11.10.2008]



Track List:
01. 坏人 (Bad Person)
02. 回去吧 (Go On Back) *In memory of his father*
03. 深爱的老朋友 (Beloved Old Friend)
04. 风 (Wind)
05. 哼哼爱 (Humming Love)
06. 你不必爱我 (You Don’t Need to Love Me)
07. 心痛 (Wounded Heart)
08. 闯 (Charge)
09. 回纹针 (Clip)
10. 胭脂雪 Ft. 江淑娜 (Rouge Snow Ft. Nana Chiang}

Abin Fang - Good Person Abin

The album, Good Person, really gained momentum for the upstart Malaysian artist in the first half of 2009, with his hit song Bad Person capturing the #1 position on KTV (Karoake) charts for 10+ weeks, and remains in the Top 5 as of the date of this post.

Abin – Bad Person
Song/Lyrics: Abin

Credit: dirPeter

Abin – Wind
Song/Lyrics: Abin
Director: Penny Dai (Love the concept & cinematography of this MV)

Credit: enjoymusicrec

Abin Fang - Regrets [Released 10.16.2009]



Track List:
01. 棋子 (Chess Piece)
02. 天黑黑 (Dark Dark Sky)
03. 暗示 Ft. 弦子 (All I Wanted to Say Ft. Xuan Zi)
04. 遗憾 (Regrets)
05. 不必在乎我是谁 (Don’t Need to Care Who I am)
06. 曖昧 (Ambiguous)
07. 胆小鬼 (Scared-y Cat)
08. 剪爱 (Severing Love)
09. 猜心 (Suspicious Heart)
10. 泪海 (Sea of Tears)

Abin Fang - Regrets

Regrets is a rearranged, compilation album of songs from famous female singers, including Faye Wong, Coco Lee, Amei, Stephanie Sun, and many other divas. Too anxious to spread the love that I haven’t picked out my favorite renditions in this album yet.

Abin – Regrets

Credit: c8527706jm

Abin – All I Wanted to Say

Credit: mengsion

The God Motha

C.N. Blue Is Blowing Everyone Away

*Note* This post was orginally posted on my personal blog two weeks ago. Since then, the group has won both KBS Music Bank on 1/29/10 and SBS Inkigayo Mutizen on 1/31/10, which is amazing for a group who hasn't even seen their 100 days pass. Will this trend keep going or will the powerhouse that is SNSD have them seeing blue?

Oh how I'm loving these boys even more every day!

Indie Pop/Rock band C.N. Blue debuted yesterday and already they're taking the KPop world by storm, giving fellow rookies MBLAQ and Beast some major competition.

They released the MV for their first single "I'm A Loner" on the 14th and within 24 hours it was #1 on the MNet Charts and #2 on the Hanteo Charts.

The group also had their first showcase and will debut on "Music Bank" this weekend. I for one am VERY happy they're doing so well. Their album "Blue Tory"; which is out right now; is awesome, so go pick it up right now and support them!

C.N. Blue-I'm A Loner



Video Credit: kpopsubs

C.N. Blue Covers Incubus' "Drive"



Video Credit: toyoilro

(Original) Incubus-Drive



Video Credit:IncubusVEVO

The ROL

Evan Yo Releases 3rd Album: ‘Be Lonely, Then’

Track List:
01. 发光的简讯 (Luminescent Message)
02. 小乖乖 (Little Darling)
03. 寂寞，好了 (Be Lonely, Then)
04. 爱是对的 (Love Is Right)
05. 日蚀 (Solar Eclipse)
06. 你看不到的天空 (The Sky You Can Not See)
07. Hey !
08. 我的宝贝 (My Baby)
09. 打不倒男孩 (Incorrigible Boy)
10. 走 (Go)

Evan Yo-Be Lonely, Then

Evan Yo released his 3rd album, Be Lonely, Then on 10.09.2009. He debuted in 2006 at 18 yrs old (they kept using his Asian age, 19), under great “sponsorship” from famous Taiwanese MC-host, Jacky Wu, who also endorsed Jay Chow and Jolin Tsai to fame. Having been top of his class entering Taiwan University’s music school, and having tall, good looks, Evan was heavily touted as the next Jay Chow/Leehom Wang.

His music has many western rock, funk, and jazz influences, and he is extremely talented in violin, piano, and singing (as they are his University majors). Unfortunately, Sony Records hasn’t been able to really differentiate and time his releases properly – Evan has met stiff competition from Million Dollar Star participants entering the music industry – who’ve taken T-music scene by storm.

That said, I’ve never been a believer that ratings/popularity = quality, so I’ve listened to all his albums, saw some of his variety appearances showcasing his talent, and my conclusion? He’s a talented potential and a cutie.

Evan Yo–The Sky You Can Not See

Credit: gilliansham

Evan Yo-Be Lonely, Then

Credit: XxLydiaxX09

Evan Yo – Nunchucks (On-the-spot Soft Rendition)

Credit: emerl1233456

Evan Yo – Variety Appearance

Credit: hkevanyo

(Jacky Wu endorsed him on all his MC-ed shows and Rainie Yang as well, being his “older sister senior” at Sony Records)

The God Motha

ROL's Reviews: Super Junior-Sorry, Sorry (Answer)

Video Credit: ManiwhoamI

Five years ago, The God Motha introduced me to Korean dramas by suggesting “My Name Is Kim Sam-Soon” and after that I’ve been hooked on Korean entertainment since. I love the drama; it’s actually my favorite drama; but I started watching it mostly because I heard “She Is” by Clazziquai. After hearing Alex’s sexy voice, I wanted to find out as much as I can about this group. That lead to me finding Soompi and the rest is history.

AZN.tv (which they need to bring back!!) had a show called “The Bridge” that would show Asian music videos and one of them was Super Junior’s “U”. for the longest time, I thought half the guys were backup dancers until I was on Soompi and read all of them were apart of the group. The idea of a thirteen member group completely surprised me because we don’t have anything remotely like that in America. There were a few members that I found interesting, but for the most part I stayed away from them mostly because of the sheer size of the group and I was certain I wasn’t going to remember all their names.

It wasn’t until I saw one of the performances for Sorry, Sorry that I started taking notice of Super Junior again. Now the second part of the video “Sorry, Sorry-Answer” was released a few days ago.

I’m in love with this video. The video albeit simple is beautifully executed with the black and white tones. I love the contrast of sleek and modern electronics and furniture to rustic old world furnishings, making it look sexy and sophisticated. The use of light and shadows in this video was also used beautifully. It almost made everything come to life.

The song was remixed perfectly and a welcome addition to the CD. Recently with all the repackaged CD’s being released usually we would hear a catchy song being remixed into this loud and pulsating techno version that, in most situations, ruined the song. This song however was remixed into a sultry R&B version that showcased the boys vocals. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Yesung’s crooning at the beginning, never knowing of his singing abilities since I’m a newbie when it comes to Super Junior.

In conclusion, I’m wouldn’t say I’m officially an E.L.F yet (I love how I totally put yet at the end of this statement. It’s like I have a premonition *lol*), but I loved the video and hoping I get to here more songs that show off their vocals. If you want more information on SJ, please visit sj-world.net for more.

The ROL

The Young’ns At Play

As the entertainment industry gets younger and cross-borders, here are some young’ns who’ve entered my radar; shown much talent and potential as singing artists.

Artist: Charice, 17
Country: Phillippines

Charice – Listen

Credit: 2welve4ever

Most of you have probably heard of this Youtube sensation that guested on a popular Korean variety program called Star King, who then went on to Ellen, Oprah, and slew of big-time talk shows across the globe. Not only is she recognized in her natural market, Asia, she’s been well-received by North American and European countries as well (I hear the Italians are quite crazy about her).

I have yet to see such a young, Asian singer be so widely hyped and accepted by audiences world-wide. Perhaps it’s because of her unrelentless passion for singing despite her down-trodden circumstances growing up that has captured people’s hearts, or that her voice strikes a cord with listeners, but whatever it is, it seems like this young singer is going to be an international phenomenon, if not already. *Her version of Listen never gets old – it’s always goosebump-inducing.*

Charice-Torete

Credit: scubajoe12

Charice – The Climb

Artist: IU, 16
Country: Korea

IU – Gee, Lies, & Sorry Sorry

Credit: VivianCJ

Perhaps it’s the over-packaged, and over-gimmicked (in trying to differentiate them) presentation of Kpop artists/groups by companies, that I’ve become immune to the Kpop scene. So I was pleasantly surprised to learn of IU; a young, lyrically-emphasizing, music-writing, guitar-playing, indie-soul singing, non-Kpop-cookie-cutter-presented talent. IU’s debut in mainstream music sparked talk of a revival in the industry, and a new generation of teen singers. From the second album it seems IU’s label is still tweaking on how to “image” her to be accepted in mainstream Kpop; But many are waiting to see if, and how, this young artist survives and revoluntionizes a growing indie-Kpop segment of mainstream Korean music. For an introduction to IU - Read Here *I love the above video, not only for her renditions but also for the host of the program. lols. I wish she would release an album with her renditions/covers – it would be an instant seller.*

IU – Officially Missing You

Credit: lemonlove9

IU – Mia (2008 Debut)

Credit: modfactory

IU - Monday Thru Thursday

Credit: kpopcornchicken

Artist: BY2, 16
Country: Singapore

BY2 – Don’t Go Away
Song/Lyrics Contributions: BY2

Credit: e2jiayou

Singapore has long been known as a place that cultivates talents and rear innovative musical artists. Many of their notable singers gained popularity because of their creative leanings, industry acclaimations, Chinese “Grammy” winnings, and critical hype. So I was surprised to discover a new, identical-twin duo (Miko & Yumi), who shows diverse potential in singing, musical creativity, dancing, and transcending borders when they’ve been mundanely marketed. They’ve trained in Korea and Japan for various styles of dance, studied piano and violin, learned various languages (touting Chinese, English, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, etc.), and sing well (despite their “idol” image). Of course, their youth, prettiness, and maturity also contributes to BY2’s star potential, but I’m more intrigued by their expansive repertoire of talents. Not partial to how their company has imaged them (or outfit-ed them – too sexy), and their pop-y song selections (they are capable of diverse genres), but I guess that’s a trend in Asia hard to bypass.

BY2 – DNA

Credit: honeyjohnny0214

BY2–Variety Dance Appearance

Credit: binhuang0307

BY2 – Not Mature Enough (Live)

Credit: victoria11177

The God Motha

Coco Lee Returns with ‘East To West’

Though I’ve always been bothered with Coco’s image, I love many of her songs and give her credit for being one of the first and highly popular female singers who heavily incorporated western influences/singing styles into Asian music – she was also one of the first to introduce “Chinese-style,” or as I like to call it, “Jay-style” (for Jay Chow, who wrote the hit song for Coco prior to his legendary debut), hybrids of contemporary music with traditional Chinese culture. I’m once again ambivalent with her MVs, but I really like the songs. She is, afterall, an open-minded, daring, and talented singer.

Coco Lee-Mei Li De Zhu Ti Qu


Credit: mengsion

Coco Lee-Liu Zhuan


Credit: susannychow

The God Motha