[July 16, 2010] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

I'm so lazy and tired and stressed, apologies for the sub-par recap today. *sigh* Tags to follow. Video credit goes to UnknownCarrot150.


G.NA - I'll Back Off So You Can Live
I'm honestly very confused as to what to say about this girl right now, so I'll take things one by one. First, she's singing live - even if she sounds like a dancing backing track, there were several indicators that she was singing live. HOWEVER why is it that at 1:23 on the video, she "croaks" (pumiyok in Filipino) and/or it sounds like someone else came out of nowhere and sang a random note but the melody is carried? The backing track. Next. She lacks a strong stage presence. Even if I've gotten sick of the recording and not this, she's too concerned with singing and dancing that for a few moments it seems like she forgets she's on stage. She's a good singer, yes, and a dancer, maybe, but that's not all you need to stand on a stage. I'll save my other observations for tomorrow, 'coz if I don't I might run out of things to say. :)

Girls' Day - Tilt Your Head
WHAT the effin' crap are those hideous furballs on their clothes? Too much, WAY too much. They're trying too hard to be cutesy and whatnot, and it ends up freaking people out. I don't care if the middle 8's somewhat near decent, freaking people out for 97% of the song is just not something you do. Ugh.

Teen Top - Clap
Was I one of the last to find out they're Shinhwa babies? (kinda?) I mean, that some of the members had something to do with them? Still doesn't change what I think about them though - they sound like 2PM. But like, the guy who sings the most must have a sore throat, he keeps croaking. Either that or he's going through puberty. Was that mean? I hope not - I mean no harm. Another observation, why do I only hear 3 guys, max, singing? There are six of them and one's the Taec-sounding rapper, so what're the other two doing? Tight performance though, they know how to carry themselves on stage.

Miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl
I've run out of things to say! They were good today - not much change from last week, but still good. Yay. The outfits were a bit bleh and they're still breathless throughout, but not bad. At all.

Sistar - Push Push (review)
Until these girls start performing with some sort of finesse, they will remain mediocre and cheap. You can have a super cheap song and still make it sound good - if you have the sophistication. But they don't. So the song sounds even cheaper than it was mean to sound.

ZE:A - Level Up
There is a difference between saying "pop is commercial" and "pop is a commercial" - I think ZE:A took the second statement too seriously. Be commercial to sell, yeah sure, but don't be a commercial.

D-NA/The Boss - Stumble Stumble
Every time they perform (which isn't often), I find more and more justifications for my "why D-NA are really DBSK V2, not just 'coz Admiring Boy sounds like Hug" post. But seriously, KARAM AND MIKA ALONE MAKE ME WANNA FAINT - someone slap me. Now all they need is an extensive discography for me to fangirl over.

4Minute - I My Me Mine
Maknae (don't know her name, just know she's the maknae) did well today, better than last week. A few dead spots and slips here and there and it was weaker than Inki last Sunday, but not enough to make me retract what I said about them being decent now - they still are.

Black Pearl - Gogossing
They're probably as close to a British-ish girl group as you can get - the harmonies, the fact that not only one out of the four can sing and the non-dancing thing. Face it, you won't die if you don't dance. Have I mentioned the harmonies? :D

Son Dambi - Queen
She was better today, but that doesn't mean she was good. The presence is there, so is the dancing I guess, but what a fantastic strategy - don't even try to sing the parts you can't. And about those plagiarism claims, I say what I always do - unless the melody, chords and dynamics are identical, it's not plagiarism. Anymore.

Narsha - Bbri Ri Bba Bba
I have successfully "converted" three of the best bloggers (ever? ever.) to kpop-ism using this song, isn't that enough proof that it's good? Apart from the annoying green feathers she's wearing, it was standard Narsha today - she really put on a show.

Super Junior - No Other
It's growing on me - the whole idea of this performance. Did I say that last week? Well anyway. They're definitely used to singing the song now, and for as long as Donghae doesn't do anything when he sings, it's fine. I'm just a little disappointed that Shindong doesn't get as much "airtime" as I'd like him to get - I like the idea of him being in the band, I always have, he breaks boundaries.

Taeyang - I Need A Girl (WINNER)
Congrats. LOL. Deadpan, much? I was threatening to move over to a YG bias if SME refused to give me a good song in the form of SHINee's new single, but if this is what they're giving me now, that's highly impossible - the guy bores me, I'm truly sorry. No actually, the performance bores me. If I just listen to his vocals it's fine, I'm awake and it's decent, but the minute I watch him something just doesn't click.