One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! Beautiful Goodbye (from Pinocchio (Danger) / Hot Summer – 2011) Opening with the chiming of bells and a dramatic English-language testament from Amber, Beautiful Goodbye stakes its claim on emotional resonance. Its slick mid-tempo beat is firmly entrenched in the mid-to-late 90’s, … Continue reading
Tag Archives: f(x)
K-Pop A-Z Review: f(x) – All Night
One song. Every day. Alphabetical order. Keep up with f(x)’s A-Z reviews here! All Night (from Red Light – 2014) Sure, f(x) can get experimental. But, some of their most enjoyable work is also their most approachable. All Night continues K-pop’s love for everything retro, offering a roller-rink ready synth disco track. From its programmed … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of July 2013
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! July … Continue reading
Best of the B-Sides: Vol.05 (ONER, f(x), SHINee, Sexy Zone)
Longtime readers of The Bias List will know how stingy I am when it comes to rating songs nine and above. But, there’s plenty of music that qualifies. In fact, I’ve got a playlist of over 600 of them sitting in my iTunes. The vast majority of these are singles or title tracks, but there … Continue reading
SUMMER OF K-POP: Amber (f(x)) – Need To Feel Needed
There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year. There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. … Continue reading
The 100 Best K-Pop Songs of All-Time: Honorable Mentions
In celebration of The Bias List’s fifth year anniversary, I’ve embarked on my most ambitious project yet. After years of hemming and hawing, I’ve finally ranked what I consider to be the best 100 songs in K-pop. There will never be a definitive list of this nature, because it’s impossible to rank something that’s inherently … Continue reading
SUMMER OF K-POP: f(x) – Vacance
There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year. There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of June 2012
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! June … Continue reading
Best of the B-Sides: Vol.03 (Hey! Say! JUMP, Luna, VIXX, History)
Longtime readers of The Bias List will know how stingy I am when it comes to rating songs nine and above. But, there’s plenty of music that qualifies. In fact, I’ve got a playlist of over 600 of them sitting in my iTunes. The vast majority of these are singles or title tracks, but there … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of June 2011
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! June … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of April 2011
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! April … Continue reading
The Top 50 K-Pop Songs of 2013 (Day Four: 20-11)
2013 was a high-concept, musically diverse year in K-pop. Hip-hop hadn’t yet taken over, and melody was still king. Instrumentals aimed for the rafters of stadiums, bringing in explosive guitar, sledgehammer beats and bombastic electro riffs. Songs played around with structure in artful, unexpected ways, often polarizing opinion before unveiling themselves as future classics. Here … Continue reading
Grading the K-Pop Agencies 2019: SM ENTERTAINMENT
It’s that time of year again! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at many of K-pop’s biggest agencies and offering my thoughts about how their 2019 went. First up is SM Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. I’m not taking into account things like … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of October 2015
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! Which … Continue reading
Looking Back: The Top Three K-Pop Songs of July 2014
Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard! Which … Continue reading
K-Pop Producer Spotlight: Melanie Fontana
If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers. MELANIE FONTANA … Continue reading
Song Review: Sulli – Goblin
One of K-pop’s most coveted holy grails is the long-rumored f(x) comeback. Or, maybe it’s more of an urban legend — often discussed, but never actually coming to fruition. Like many agencies, SM Entertainment seems to have a hard time managing more than one girl group at once, so rather than continue f(x)’s powerful legacy, … Continue reading
The Top 50 K-Pop Songs of 2012 (Day Two: 40-31)
It’s time to flash back seven years to 2012, an era of huge choruses, thumping dance beats and an endless supply of sci-fi influenced music videos. 2012’s charms were endless, but here are fifty of the absolute best singles. To be eligible for this top fifty list, songs must have had a Korean release as … Continue reading
Song Review: Luna (f(x)) – Even So
As the wait for a full f(x) comeback enters its fourth calendar year, each and every move by its members attracts interest from fans. However, most of the f(x)-related solo material has felt pretty un-f(x) in sound, which only seems to exacerbate listeners’ impatience. Luna offered a spark of similar energy with 2016’s Free Somebody, … Continue reading
Grading the K-Pop Agencies 2018: SM ENTERTAINMENT
In what has become an annual tradition, it’s time to take a look at K-pop’s biggest agencies and offer my 2018 verdict. First up is SM Entertainment. As usual, the thoughts are my own and aren’t privy to any insider information. I’m not taking into account things like profits and stock value. The purpose of … Continue reading