[June 4, 2010] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAACK! The last weekend of my summer vacation - hopefully I complete recaps for all 3 shows. Fingers crossed.

Today's MuBank didn't have that many idol groups - the Wonder Girls and f(x) were MIA, but SISTAR and SS501 debuted their latest singles. All was good, especially the sound. I would like to personally meet and thank the sound engineer on today's episode, and all the previous episodes. *clap clap clap*

As always, YT credit goes to UnknownCarrot110.

SISTAR - Here We Come + Push Push
Now that we hear them without all the auto-tuning, it's like the 4 girls were just thrown together and it just to happened that one of them had a nice voice and one could rap and sing a bit - those two in skirts really annoy me beyond belief, and I mean more than that girl in the Wonder Girls. The girl in the ponytail is rather outstanding for a band of their caliber and position, and the timbre of her voice could potentially be jaw-dropping if she works on her vocals. There are better singers than her, but this early into SISTAR's career she has traces of technique - that means she'll grow with time. A few lazy lines though - forgiven since she's new. It just hit me this afternoon what Push Push sounds like, and it hit me when I couldn't stop humming After School's Ah. Made by the same producer for the girl group at the same stage SISTAR are at now - the similarity is striking. I just hope they follow in the footsteps of AS though, at least music-wise.

CN Blue - Love
I don't know why but I kinda feel sorry for CN Blue and Yonghwa (did I spell it right or does it have a u? Ugh whatever) 'coz the song's growing on me, but his live vocals are still scratched and weak. *sigh*

MBLAQ - Y
You'd think that winning M!Countdown yesterday would give MBLAQ some kind of push to try and stop being to pre-occupied with looking good on stage and getting their 5 minutes of fame, but no, it didn't. I mean I won't say they didn't deserve yesterday's award because it's done - they've won it and I can't say anything about it - but I still don't like their performances. They look so stiff when they sing, it's like singing isn't natural to them when that's what they effin' do for an effin' living. Ugh. Next song.

4Minute - HUH
I love the fanchants for 4Minute today, they added to the intensity of the song - very loud, very chaotic, very good. 4Minute have become all about the performance and although I don't think they'll be able to just stand there doing nothing and command an entire audience, they're doing OK for a girl group of their standing. Vocals are getting stronger - it shows that they're a lot more comfortable with the stage now, which is good for us.

After School - Let's Do it!(hip hop version) + Bang!
Pledis really know how to read my mind, don't they? I was beginning to get a bit bored of the single, and what do they give me? A "hip hop" version of Let's Do It!. Although it wasn't that hip hop except for the re-arrangement of the backing track and the clothes, it's new and it's fresh - it keeps us all interested in them. Unlike Hyori who only had all the bells and whistles at the beginning, AS are doing the right things - promote the single for a long period, but keep your fans on their toes waiting for the next twist. I liked it. That and everyone's vocals today were on top form. Well, top form relatively within the band. Gahee's learning technique, the two girls' vocals are getting stronger, and I actually got goosebumps today - bravo. That's it, one more good performance from them and I will officially have a second favorite kpop girl group. Officially.

SS501 - Love Ya + Let Me Be The One
When SS501 lose the "complicated" choreography (are they complicated? I really don't know), they actually sound pretty good. Their vocals aren't my taste, but they're strong, practiced and mature. That performance of Let Me Be The One had probably some of the best live vocals I've heard from the band. BUT they just had to go ruin my good mood, by completely screwing up the vocals on their LEAD SINGLE of all performances. The vocals were pathetic - breathy, weak, out of time, and at times out of tune, and the only redeeming factor was the fact that the fans were screaming so loud. I mean, I know it's hard to sing and dance at the same time, but that's what idols are expected to do well. I'm sorry for saying this but it's true - if DBSK can do it, why can't SS501? I may sound biased, but it's a fact that DBSK may not have been the best live singers when they were starting (which often led to lip-synced performances for the first 3 years of their career), but when they were at where SS501 are at now, they had some of the best live vocals in Korea. Now, I repeat - why can't SS501 do that? They had decent vocals on that slower song, and they performed that after this lead single - what happened?

Super Junior - Bonamana (WINNER)
Aaaaand Super Junior, despite winning, didn't have one of their 3 hopes of being able to pull off today's vocals due to an ear infection I believe? Yeah. Sad, Kyuhyun was finally starting to get a hang of singing that part. Donghae was shaky at the beginning, but the performance as a whole was pretty strong, continuing last week's string of better performing.