…the fuck?

Aside from the fact that TEEN TOP are obviously under the influence and have probably downed a bag of shrooms with ten Rockstars a piece — dude, their precision is mind blowing! O_O

“LICKY LICKY LICKY – LICKY LICKY!“

Before anything – happy Lunar New Year, Neighbors! That’s right – McRoth’s Residence has its very own “fanclub” now. What do you guys think of the name? If you think you have a better one, please tweet me @rothsresidence with any thrilling suggestions you may have in mind. For now, you’re my effing Neighbors.

Anyway, we kick off this week with a new name around this neck of the woods. Introducing rockstress, Navid! She’s not actually ‘new’-new, as she’s been rocking out since 2009, but since I’m not aware of EVERY artist on the face of the earth, and because it wasn’t until today that I came to appreciate her latest single album, “The Bridge Of Color,” we’ll go ahead and give her the introductory treatment.

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Navid epitomizes the Korean indie artist, in that she’s more than just a pretty performer. Navid, like many indie gems, is a singer-songwriter and fine arts student who also contributes her writing to a Korean newspaper. On top of that, Navid is also an artist! As in, she draws and stuff, and pretty flippin’ well too (click here to see her artwork on Facebook, which she used on her 2010 album).

“Goodbye” MV: Lead Single

Navid is an alternative-rock princess. Her music is generally emotive and melodic, mostly comprised of soft guitar riffs and broad phrases. Listening to her music, Navid reminds me a lot of Dear Cloud, except Navid is less inclined to hit you over the head with extremely deep and dark overcasts. Her latest single album, “The Bridge of Color,” captures an array of these emotions and “colors”, transitioning quite flawlessly from bright and optimistic moods, to more melancholic and darker tonalities.

The album only has three tracks – “Goodbye,” “눈물이 내 앞을 가린다,” and “떠들어대지 마” – but the way Navid filed them together is making someone like me (who is anal about track lists and things) jump for joy.

The album opens with the light-hearted lead single, “Goodbye.” It’s a very chill and refreshing single, in that indie-rock kind of way. Navid’s angelic voice works really well with all the lovely acoustics and layered choruses prancing in the background. But what really stands about this, as well as the rest of these songs are the strong, powerful melodies. Sometimes a big voice isn’t nearly enough to compel any sort of emotional response by an audience in the same way that a weak voice doesn’t possess a semblance of weight without a good vessel to carry it through a song. I.E, a good melody, and Navid’s music is in many ways perfectly melodious to emphasize all the best bits of her voice and the band that is strumming away behind her.

“눈물이 내 앞을 가린다”

One of my favorite phases in this awfully short collection of songs is the last track of the three, “떠들어대지 마.” I don’t know if it’s because I’m into extremely angsty ballads or what, but Navid absolutely thrashed me with this one. “떠들어대지 마” is a magisterially powerful wave of emotion and brutality, brought on by a girl ready to slap the living crap out of the next guy put in her presence. I can’t find the full lyrics to this, so I can’t entirely comprehend why the hell she’s so pissed off, but either way, I really love what she’s done here.

The composition is equally masterful. Its increase in intensity is right in line with Navid’s vocal lead, which reaches a beautiful and just as powerful orchestrated climax right at the middle eight that just screams “epic.” It just explodes, and it’s been an incredibly long time since I’ve been able to say that about a Korean song. I’ve missed these kinds of pieces that throw all emotion and musicality wherewithal at you without a drop of remorse. It’s a gripping song that takes you on an amazing emotional journey from beginning to end, and I can’t help but applaud Navid and, by extension, the Korean indie music scene once more for delivering such a moving piece of work.

Navid definitely leaves a strong impression in “The Bridge of Color.” Each song speaks in different tones but they come together under one marvelous voice. Navid’s melodies are strong and they pierce right through the soul.

“떠들어대지 마”

I don’t know about you, but I’m really hoping to hear more of Navid this year, because she’s definitely bringing a powerful voice to female vocalists in the Korean music industry, on top of the fact that she’s an immense talent and a force to be reckoned with.

stay in touch with Navid -
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lovenavid
Twitter: @Love_Navid

support the artist, buy the music: Daum Mnet

Being the science student that I am, of course I had my ardent doubts regarding the end of the world in 2012. Well, fuck that shit, because THE WORLD IS FUCKING ENDING! As many of you may already know, I am not a huge fan of SNSD. There are only two reasons I watch SNSD performances: 1) to see Jessica fuck up (so I can laugh at her) and 2) to see Seohyun do her thang.

Why Seohyun? Well, because Seohyun is fucking awesome: she is the most underrated singer in the group (way better than fucking Jessica, and, at this point, better than Taeyeon), and she has a look in her eyes when she performs that just screams “SHOOT ME NOW!” She is one angsty bitch, and I love her for it.

Anyway, let’s get back to talking about the end of the world. Recently, Seohyun and her crew performed at the “2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Concert (Don’t ask, because I have no fucking idea).” Check it out (the actual performance starts at 1:00):

No words can express the shock that I feel right now. Dean? Sam? Please show the good people how I’m feeling:

So, as the old saying goes: “You know the world is ending when Seohyun fucks up.” Seohyun fucked up. The world is really ending. It was nice knowing you guys. We should just elect Ron Paul as President for shits and giggles.

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In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil fan-girl shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship KPOP’s might,
Beware my power… The troll is right!

In short, Monotoi is a group of musicians that create modern, classically composed music. Not to be confused with the classic definition of a band, with a drum set, guitars and something extra on the side; this one has a bare bones orchestra, with a string section, a xylophone, a piano, a woodwind section (which includes a flute), sans a brass section, and the music they’ve created for ‘Gloomy Cat’ is full of imagination and wunderlust, akin to a classic Disney animated movie (not the current CGI movies, but the older, hand-drawn stuff). Like a score to a movie, ‘Gloomy Cat’ is devoid of vocals of any sort. What is here, however, are segments within songs that feel like singing. For example, in “Puzzle of Life”, where you expect a singer to start, a clarinet is heard, then a violin comes in, and the pattern continues. Each instrument brings in a new tone and character to the song that couldn’t be achieved with percussions alone, like lyrics to a song. That’s one of the beauties in ‘Gloomy Cat’, in that it takes classical instruments and creates music in the pop music structure of verse, chorus and bridge.

Where Monotoi gets creative is in the imagery and imagination their music invokes. Song “Lazy Street” is anything but a leisurely stroll. It begins casual enough, with a clarinet/violin/piano interplay, then swells and proceeds to thunderous feelings with a tympani (did I not mention there was a tympani?), and somehow ends relaxed and hopeful, though at a different place than the beginning. The following track, “Delete”, also plays on that interplay, with a piano/violin duet that has both sets battle for which can play the loudest. For childlike expressions, the title track and “Merry Christmas” use high notes and a faster tempo to create a mischievous and joyful atmosphere, respectively. For something more somber, “Cloud Sea” lulls you with long notes and shimmery arrangements that make, in total, a lush and serene lullaby. ‘Gloomy Cat’, as a whole, is a record full of these moments of wonder, something I’m grateful to hear in music, regardless of origin.

For a Korean musical group that I’ve never heard, and I’ll take a guess that neither have you, Monotoi blew me away. A very clear concept throughout the record, individual tracks that surpass anything I’ve heard of in terms of production and arrangement, and then some, and the ability to do all of that without a single lyric, astounds me. I only wish I had discovered it before the “best of…” season last December.

support the artist, buy the music: YesAsia

Empress Seo Hyun looking flawless as fuck.

That is all.

p.s: I’m fucking stoked to hear the full version of the song playing in the background of the first vid.

To feed today’s optimism, I give you Baby Soul & Yoo Jia‘s “She’s A Flirt“. A spawn of Woollim Entertainment (home of boy band INFINITE), this rookie duo recently dropped their first single together, following Baby Soul’s sudden solo debut in November of last year. I’m not sure why Woollim decided to shoot the shit and throw out this duo after a short-lived solo season for Baby Soul or if they had this whole thing planned and she just happened to function as a tease for the group. Either way, I’m glad Woollim kept their word and debuted a female anything. They hit it out of the park with INFINITE, so hopes are currently set at a near high for Baby Soul & Yoo Jia. If their debut single, “She’s A Flirt”, proves anything, it’s that these sweethearts are talented and well aware of where they fit in Kpop.

“She’s A Flirt” is a relaxing slice of k-R&B. Baby Soul & Yoo Jia take a very mellowed approach to this number, singing in very light strokes while narrating a story where they have found out their boyfriends have cheated on ‘em with a fu*king skank, basically.

“They say that you are cheating on me / You, who said that you couldn’t live without me / Rumors of her are so unbelievable – they are too dirty to say // She’s a flirt, why don’t you know? She has so many guys…”

Baby Soul and Yoo Jia’s vocals are velvety smooth here, blended quite nicely during the choruses and delivered in calm tones during the verses. The instrumental has a soothing character of its own, chiming in every so often with sparkly little nuances and enhancing what I feel to be an overly warm atmosphere. The track features INFINITE rapper Dongwoo who does a nice job of delivering a simple rap verse that isn’t overbearing, neither understated. It works as a calm transition to the song’s final chorus. The only piece of this song that threw me off was the random auto-tune bit at the end. I’m not entirely sure what that’s doing there. But other than that, this song is laid-back and captures that ‘calm before the storm’ sensation that lovers face before realizing that their relationship with their significant other is on the brink of collapse.

“She’s A Flirt” MV: lesbian overtones, anyone?

Contributing writer drowningn00b reviews Aziatix’ “Nocturnal” Deluxe Edition.

Hip-hop and R&B of the Asian persuasion is not new to Western audiences. Most famous is Far East Movement, which grabbed everyone’s attention through club hits. Other groups are geared for different audiences, like One Way starting in the Korean market and its English-speaking counterpart, AZIATIX, going for the Western audience in the United States. Debuting in May 2011, Aziatix went for a primarily R&B sound, with Eddie Shin and Nicky Lee as singers and Flowsik as the resident rapper. Their debut album, ‘Nocturnal’, is a synth-heavy, electronically-based R&B record that is too familiar to be unique.

At their best, AZIATIX is at the high end of good. In “So Incredible” featuring Stevie Huang, a dance-pop track made for club play, the beats are subdued just enough to let the guys come through and make a statement. However, it comes across a little safe, with minimal vocal or emotional impact to make the lyrics believable. A shame, really, because in the record proper (without the remixes), that’s the best the singers get. Thankfully, however, the deluxe edition includes an acoustic remix of “Go”, which is leaps and bounds their best track yet. Eddie and Nicky finally sound like talented singers, especially Eddie Shin, whose bridge and pre-chorus have the sad undertone that the original lacked. No electronic abuse (more on this later), but simply three guys whose talent comes through. Sadly, it took till this remix to hear it.

Flowsik, on the other hand, is a talented rapper and lyricist, with lines that are the reason to listen to the mediocre stuff at all. Where Eddie resorts to tried lines like I don’t want you to go, even if you tell me, you’ve gotten over me girl, cuz lately I, realize without you, I can’t live another day [“Slippin Away”], Flowsik’s lines make it clear the rap and vocal lyrics were not written by the same person. On the same song, the sentiment is clear as day, but the expression of it is what sets it apart. I admit, I don’t have what it takes/ To serve and provide what she wants on her plate/ So I put her in place, then I’m closing the gates/ Locking the chains, no intention to wait, wait [“Slippin Away”]. His best lines are for his bombastic solo, “A Game”, with we be poppin’ bottles and you be sippin warm beer and the we’re-gonna-conquer-the-world lines Startin’ from every single state, to the rest of the world, there’s no mistakes/ Look, I’m wide open so just pass me the rock so I can catch this break [“A Game”]. As much as it is a listening experience, music also has a visual aspect, and that’s what Flowsik did right with his lyrics. Being able to portray the same image with different words takes creativity, and moving forward, Flowsik should write more of the lyrics for that missing punch.

Stylistically, AZIATIX is a fantastic R&B group, but they’re not necessarily breaking grounds. Oftentimes, ‘Nocturnal’ hits you with electronic gimmicks, ultimately compromising flow for unwarranted repetitiveness; at close to an hour, the repetition slips by you with no impact. For their debut single, “Go”, the effects of the sirens help ramp up the energy. They don’t annoy, however they do become a crutch in an open display of overuse. And it isn’t just the siren that get used like this. Want a ballad/somber track? Then use a piano. (“Go” and “Start It Again”). Is Mid-tempo R&B more your style? Then expect drawn out synths. (“Slipping Away” and “Nothing Compares to You”) Every troupe in pop gets this treatment. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not overwhelmingly impressive either. Tracks like “A Game”, “So Incredible” and “Go (acoustic remix)” firmly stray from the formula set by producer Jae Chong (formerly of R&B k-pop boy band SOLID), but they’re details we’ve heard time and time again in hip-hop and R&B. If an artists wants to re-use existing templates, it’s best to use the specialties out there for maximal effect. Otherwise, you’ll be drowned by those who do it better.

Debut records are tricky to execute. You want to be different enough from the rest to create your own appeal, but not so different that audiences have to work to understand you. Unfortunately, AZIATIX’s ‘Nocturnal’ falters to create that unique necessity for long-term pop success. A few good tracks like “A Game” and “Slippin Away” released as an EP/mini works, but they get lost in the shuffle when they’re placed in an LP cluttered with filler songs. Lukewarm lyrics, decent vocals and over-used musical troupes don’t make for world-wide success, especially considering pop audiences now have an easier time scouting for music outside their home countries. “Nocturnal” is a valiant effort from a group who’s only a year old. What AZIATIX need though, is to enrich their sound by pushing their talent to its limits. To reach for creativity and innovation, because it feels like they haven’t quite made that leap just yet.

A solo stage for The Minz?! No way.

Actually, yes way! Recently, YG Entertainment  uploaded several cuts from 2NE1‘s recent 2011 NOLZA Concert in Seoul and one of these cuts just so happened be a full solo performance/cover of Tae Yang‘s “Only Look At Me” by none other than Minzy!

Wha-whaaa.

Check out the video (in all its HD glory) below:

You uh-like-a dem moves and all dat swag? (actually, Minzy’s stage seemed a wee bit timid from the usual badassary we’re used to, but I blame YG for not allowing this gem to blossom properly. Give the girl some wiggle room, bro.)

By the way – while we’re talking Minz, the 2NE1 maknae turned 18 this week. Wait – do you hear that, readers? Yup, that’s the sound of pedo-bears rejoicing.

From everybody here at McRoth’s Residence, Happy Birthday, homes!

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other performance clips: “I Am The Loudest” | “GTFO” | “It Hurts (When We Sing This Live)“

If you’re observant enough, you’re bound to see some very distinct patterns that are apparent when it comes to popularity and success in the world of KPOP. There is most definitely a secret to it all, and, I’ve got to admit, some of these companies have got it down pat. Take SM Entertainment for example. They’ve stopped putting out quality for years now, yet they’ve somehow managed to string along their fans like a bunch of placated dogs on a leash. How is it that SM executives can get away with recycling the same fives notes over and over again and still manage to rack in the big bucks? Easy. They make you fall in love with their idols. That way, no matter how shitty the music is, fans will buy it up to support their beloved oppars and unnirs.

So, what’s so “special” about these idols, anyway? How does one go from working corners in the nasty part of Seoul to air-humping on center stage in front of a crowd of adoring fans? Well, I’m about to tell you. This is the first installment in my How to Succeed in KPOP Without Really Trying series.

1. Be a mediocre singer but claim that you “try really hard”

By being a mediocre singer, you are not so horrible that you isolate the masses from your group’s music, but you are not so talented as to have to try that hard when performing (remember, this is how to succeed without really trying). 2NE1‘s Sandara Park is a prime example of what I would consider a mediocre singer. As much as her die-hard fans will try to deny it, the woman gives an incredibly shallow vocal performance and cannot sing in tune to save her life. Despite her clear lack in musical talent, however, Dara is 2NE1′s most popular member. Why? It’s because, despite her shortcomings, she seems like she’s trying really, really fucking hard.

The strategy here is clear: the underdog effect. Everyone everywhere has a soft-spot somewhere for the underdog. Musically mediocre idols like Dara, Sohee, or Yoona are popular not because of their skills, but because they have “HWAITING!”s flying out of their asses everywhere they go. The best part? If any of these idols are having a bad day, all they need to do is try a little bit harder than they usually do(n’t), and the inevitable barrage of “OMG SHE IMPROVED SO MUCH” will come pouring in. Eventually, you get fans that will defend you to their death beds by making shitty excuses. Case in point:

Of course, the other factor is that everyone wants to be a freaking KPOP star (well, at least every tween fan girl does). If you’re a mediocre singer and try really hard, then maybe you could be a KPOP star someday. Then you’d get to hang out with all your favorite oppars and unnirs and talk to your fellow underdogs about how you struggled to the top together! Being a KPOP idol would be so much fun (cue exploding rainbow vagina fountain)!!!!!

2. (in lieu of step 1) Be an idol rapper and pretend you got “swag (whatever the fuck that means)”

Singing not really your thing? No problem, my friend, because what idol group these days is complete without a token rapper? While actual rapping is something that should not be attempted by anyone less than a badass thug from “the hood,” idol rapping is something that anyone short of a retarded mute should be able to pull off with relative ease. All you need to do is lower your voice a couple of notches and blab away. Boom! You’re rapping.

Let’s not forget, however, the “swag” or “swagger” that you need to exude as you spit your lines up on that stage. Thanks to the wonderful world of KPOP, “swag” is now a word that can apparently be thrown around to describe any female figure giving off even an ounce of masculinity or attitude. So give a CL shout and walk like a disabled Tyra Banks; you’ll have KPOP fans admiring your “swag” in no time! See for yourself:

Yeah… “Swag.” Staye tuned for part II…

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In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil fan-girl shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship KPOP’s might,
Beware my power… The troll is right!

Cube Entertainment recently released the live DVD of B2ST‘s first solo concert, “Welcome To B2ST Airlines“, from back in 2010.

Below is a cut of their beastly “Hot Issue” cover, originally ‘sung’ by 4Minute, wherein B2ST freely jizz all over the original to their own R&B version.

Check it out:

It only took one minute and thirty-six seconds for B2ST to render 4Minute irrelevant.

That must be a record in career-slayage.

Their name is short for “Sonic Princesses Infinitely Creating Anarchy” (lol) and they’ve recently been gaining attention for their fair amount of talent and their association with goddess Hyori, who happens to be under the same company and is featured in the music video for SPICA’s debut single, “Potently” (독하게).

Basically, B2M is pushing SPICA as that girl group with vocal chops, and I really can’t blame them. SPICA is pretty damn awesome and I think their debut single does a mighty fine job of showcasing what they have to offer in a memorable, classic fashion.

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“Potently” is a mid-tempo R&B single that takes these ladies’ voices and blends them in a tasteful manner, allowing each member her proper moment to shine. The instrumental follows a simple series of chords, first introduced by the piano and later taken up by an acoustic guitar that develops in power equal to that of SPICA’s glorious vocal performance. SPICA grace every note with confidence and they make it crystal clear that they’re aware of how fucking fierce they are.

Additionally, the song itself is beautifully composed. “Potently” possesses a strong sense of the 90s and it feels like every piece of it is in its proper place, with the instrumental and SPICA’s vocals working in unison from beginning to end.

It’s actually marvelous and I can’t wait to hear SPICA perform the shit out of this live

via Asian Junkie

FT Island are one of the few Kpop artists who’ve been continuously active in Japan for the last few+ years and it’s been interesting hearing how their music has developed along the way. Venturing to Japan (or any market other than your own) brings its challenges, a big one being the reinterpretation phase of molding an artist’s own sound to fit the Japanese market at large. FT Island have been toying with this forev’s and it has finally started to feel like they’ve come to grips with a perfectly comfortable J-pop flavor that sounds just right for them overseas and that also echos their Korean style so it resonates with all their Primadonnas back home.

Last month, FT Island dropped their newest Japanese single, “Distance” and as I was listening to it, one good way I came to describe it was as a satisfying sequel to their magnificent 2009 release, “Raining“.

In many ways, “Distance” and “Raining” are pretty much the same song. Both have an underlying piano melody, a colorful string section and front-man Lee Hongki and bassist Lee Jae jin divvying up the vocal leads. Even the middle eight in both songs are questionably similar, but where these songs differ is in their tone. There’s a certain calmness to “Raining” that I don’t quite get from “Distance”. In “Distance”, the phrases are filled with plenty more drive and tension that give it a sense of melodrama, which, if you don’t know, is one word that goes swimmingly well with FT Island.

I’d say FT Island were at their most angst-y a few years ago, with songs like “Bad Woman” and “Girls Don’t Know” sucking the living daylights out of their poor little souls. However, their display of emotion (as with any boy band) has always seemed to trigger a deep connection to their audience, myself included – not to mention FT Island have been tapping into that very same angst for so many years, that they’ve pretty much become pros at it. Even these days, when they’re visibly less in the dumps than before, FT Island still manage to give their songs a well dosage of drama because that’s just what they do. And what they like.

“Distance” is one of FT Island’s latest works that isn’t necessarily mind-blowing, yet feels like it has gone back to its roots more than anything. The composition feels familiar, yet FT Island’s delivery is mature, sophisticated and genuine. It comes across as a song that was completely thought out by (or for) FT Island and nobody else. It’s everything I would want these guys to feed into their Korean material, because it sounds like themselves and the FT Island I remember loving to begin with. I’m hoping they do the say back home very soon.