You really should use a stool [1][2]… or a chair. And a nice old school microphone – instead of just standing there in front of your teleprompter. You remind me of school and how we did awkward presentations moving up and down. xD We didin’t have teleprompters, so we had a piece of paper that we rolled in our sweaty palms. xD
Having said that, I’m glad the audio was fixed after your first song. You sounded so much better afterwards, and I’m glad you sang some songs from Time. Especially Season. I’m also glad that I get to have an opinion on how you sounded because that means you don’t sound exactly the same as in the album, and that you’re singing live. I’m also glad you don’t sound like a robot.
Ahh, that’s how I like my commercial pop. Slick and spoon-fed to me. It’s super surprising to see 2NE1 releasing 3 singles at a time — with music videos and promotions. From this 3 singles and the early Try to Follow Me, I can guarantee passing marks for the album already without listening to it yet. xD
I have to admit, however, LOVED Clap your Hands as a song. Liked Go Away as a video, and by the third Can’t Nobody, I was beginning to feel tired… but by the middle of the song I was at it again. It’s something about these girls — how old are they anyway? They must be in their 15s it feels — having fun. It’s hilarious to see them playing around.
First impressions~
Clap your Hands, I must admit… gave me a bit of a reggaeton vibe (in the fake forest scene, what’s up with that? Came out of nowhere… xD That’s CL, right? Haven’t learned their names, ha!) – it’s the autotune, the instrumentation, and the whole production – but the fact that I can’t understand what they sing about, and they look completely adorable and cool at the same time, it makes me take in the song in a whole different way. It’s slightly disturbing seeing them saying “let me rock your body” while swinging their hips that way.
I’m not the biggest Meisa Kuroki… enthusiast. Never seen her on a drama, and she was okay in a rather okay-ish Mamoru Oshii Assault Girls with Rinko Kikuchi (does Rinko Kikuchi EVER speak???). Anyway, I digress. Kuroki, however, seems to populate my entertainment news reading, and well… I won’t complain about her. She won me over when she told actor Koji Yakusho (54) that she’d rather play his daughter than his lover. Snap! All the respect to Yakusho-san and his acting talent, but that was creepy. Dude. DUDE! Get a grip.
So… as a result, I was mildly interested in LOL! – First, OMG? Isn’t that Miley Cyrus’ movie or something? And… WTF is up with LOL! as a song title. xD The song sounds different to general commercial Jpop, and I daresay seems more influenced by commercial Kpop instead — is this the work of DBSK, Big Bang and all the other K-stars crossing over? — and I even dare to say that it gave me a lot of Lee Hyori vibes, which isn’t bad. Japan needs a little love for the bubbly personality that is Hyori. Ooh! Can there be a collaboration? xD Imagine all the sex appeal in that video~
Anyway, off topic once again! While listening to the song, I couldn’t help but laugh at it… when she autotune-sings “laughing out loud, out loud, out loud” I would burst out laughing because it’s so silly. Right? And the song… and the look on the video, they don’t match, right?
I know someone who likes her *coughJulzcough* and someone who will find her hot *coughErickcough*. So you guys, better brush off on your Spanish. Turns out Okinawan Meisa Kuroki’s dad is half Panamanian. Try to say that fast Panamanian. Again, Panamanian. xD
Oh, Julz. Now that Kuroki has a Twitter account, you can hit on her in Spanish. LOL
Anyway, I’m not a really huge Deftones follower, but they’re mellow, aren’t they? I’m pretty sure their stuff was louder, but this one… is actually… soothing? And it’s got pretty lights too! I doubt it will win Best Pretty Lights against Vital’s Airport, but it could definitely win Best Gay/Lesbian themed? xD
After many years of battling against leukemia, Rich Cronin passed away. VH1’s Man Band was rubbish, but Cronin was pretty much the only likable guy. His fight against leukemia had really given him a different outlook on life, and he just wanted to make happy music.
Anyway, Jiang Yingrong won last year’s Supergirl (yeah, that same contest that found us Chris Lee, BiBi and Jane Zhang… thankyouverymuch), and it just goes to show you the changing tides in the cpop scene. In her third single Bad Angel (aka. Hui Tian Shi – but, you know, Bad Angel is so much easier), she looks a little bit Zhao Wei, a little bit Rihanna, and a little bit Natalie Portman on V Mag by Mario Testino — yeah, I just pulled that out because I know a lot of NP’s photoshoots…
plus, you know, it’s Testino. xD
She sounds a little too electronic on it too, so you won’t be able to judge much.
Not really feeling Bad Angel, but I really REALLY dug her first single (was it the first? or second?) titled Ba Wo Ni de Mei… or you know, subbed – Seize your Beauty. It’s really catchy, and the hook “everything” line is funny. Everysing xD Everysing.
I finally saw Bandage, after being on the “to watch” queue for… nearly a month. I didn’t know it was produced by Shunji Iwai — same thing with HALFWAY, but we’ve already talked about that one (so disappointed, btw. Best thing there was Salyu’s ending theme, which is included on Maiden Voyage so you don’t even need to purchase the OST) — but I digress~~~ Bandage was, I feel, better than HALFWAY… but not for much.
Let’s make it an update post. I just pre-ordered this book:
Yeah, by the same author of Let the Right One In. xD
Of course, I still haven’t finished reading the Millennium trilogy, even though my friend already read the first two books… but she’s been on holidays, so she really has the upper-hand, right?
If books are not your thing… how about some music?
Ahhh… classy song. No, really… it is a really classy song, which happens to have F*ck You every time the chorus goes. It seems like it’s been ages since a song sounded this classy with a title like this.
And it’s the dude from Gnarls Barkley… from that song Crazy~ He’s going solo.
