To be honest, there haven’t been many K-pop albums in 2023 that I’ve played more than a couple times through. Similar to my singles list yesterday, nearly all of these picks come with some qualifiers. However, there are a more than a few gems to uncover. *As usual, albums must have at least four full … Continue reading
I’m heartened by the fact that only two (!) of my top ten singles of 2022 were released before the month of July. That’s a pretty striking figure, and one I can easily see replicating this year. It’s no secret that I’ve been underwhelmed by the first six months of 2023. It’s not that K-pop … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. June 2023 Overall Thoughts In the coming days, I’ll be sharing my top picks from the … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity GRAVITY Ah, the pensive album-closer. K-pop loves a pensive album closer. Here’s the deal: Whenever I see the title of this song, my … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity INSOMNIA Hard concludes with two slower, moodier tracks. In my mind, Insomnia (불면증) is the stronger of the two. After a suite of … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity SWEET MISERY I’ve seen Sweet Misery mentioned as many listeners’ favorite track on the album, and I understand where they’re coming from. It’s … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity LIKE IT There are a few vibes (or if I’m being more cynical, “templates”) I tend to love when it comes to SHINee. … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity IDENTITY Five tracks into Hard, and Identity is where the album feels like it finally kicks in. Up until now, we’ve had a … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity SATELLITE At this point, the album is slowly gaining steam. Similar to 10X, Satellite would have benefitted from a later placement in the … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity 10X This is quite a shift from the album’s first two tracks. Running order is a real issue on Hard, and 10X would … Continue reading
1. Hard // 2. Juice // 3. 10X // 4. Satellite // 5. Identity // 6. The Feeling // 7. Like It // 8. Sweet Misery // 9. Insomnia // 10. Gravity JUICE Apparently, this is the song SM fought for as the album’s title track. And if we’re purely deciding between Juice and Hard … Continue reading
SHINee’s The Feeling has blossomed into an early summer highlight, buoyed by the group’s heavenly vocal blend and the song’s driving energy. I’m very thankful for its existence, and will be positioning it as the official title track in the blissful (deluded?) alternate reality I’ve constructed around SHINee’s new album. Unfortunately, the album’s actual title … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
Before SHINee make their long-awaited return at the end of the month, they have a gift for fans in the form of pre-release single The Feeling. This song was previously revealed as part of the group’s recent fanmeet and marks the first time we’re hearing all four members on a new Korean track since the … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. April 2023 Overall Thoughts I’ve been complaining about K-pop a lot this year, but April was … Continue reading
In this feature, I zoom into some of K-pop’s most legendary weeks — short periods of time that delivered multiple classics. K-pop is usually a Monday through Friday affair (at least in my time zone), with some weeks stuffed to the brim with releases. But, not all include multiple 9+ rated songs. Here, I’ll through … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. March 2023 Overall Thoughts So… when does the good stuff start? Seriously, we had yet another … Continue reading
Rather than contain my “Risers and Fallers” feature to a single post in June, I’m going to share a bite-sized version at the end of each month. This will let me account for more songs and make a nice lead-in to the monthly round-up post. I anticipate most of these ratings adjustments will be negligible: … Continue reading
After nearly a year since his last mini album, SHINee’s Onew is back with the release of his first full-length effort. He’s the latest SHINee member to deliver new music before the group’s promised spring comeback. Thus far, his solo sound has incorporated a soft, adult contemporary sheen that fits his beautiful vocal color. It … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. February 2023 Overall Thoughts I hate to say it, but my interest in K-pop is kind … Continue reading
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 