Released: July 2011, South Korea
Rating: 3.42
The SM sound this year was heavy synths, a slightly more natural, but still obvious autotune, and monotonous hooks, which aren't anything new. Those three elements, majority of the time, produced very stiff, albeit very full and well-produced, tracks, because of the nature of SM acts' voices, and the songs themselves. However, because CSJH are queens (yes, even this half), even if they are given a song like "One More Chance", it still turns out better than the rest of the songs in this style.
CSJH can sing, even through all the autotune, so in reality, the autotune of this song serves it's actual purpose and it serves a more artistic purpose and it's not a treatment used on inferior vocals. When you watch the live performances of this they're still spot-on, most of the time better.
You must be wondering, if that's the case, then do I approve of autotune? That's a little more complicated. I approve of autotune if, and only if, it's used for aesthetic purposes and not because the act can't sing. However, we can only start talking of autotune as an artistic thing if the act in question has proven it's worth and can actually do without the autotune on regular days. Like CSJH.
But back to the song. It's very similar to the other SME songs this year, namely the f(x) releases, but of course, again, what sets this apart from f(x) is that Dana and Sunday's vocals are not only much mature, but they have much more body and are less generic than their younger counterparts, so when their vocals are put through all that processing, they still retain majority of the qualities that make their vocals, well, their vocals. That and SM didn't screw up the only girl in the band who could sing (LUNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA), but then again, even if Sunday's voice isn't exactly my favorite, she's still a lot better than at least half of the girls in SME these days.
So is "One More Chance" a good song? I seem to think so, yes, because once again, it's a balance. It's how the SME sound should've been done this year, and it's proof that it DOES work to a certain extent, but only when you have people with actual voices do it.
#24 seems like an awfully high rank for a song in which you concluded "I seem to think ['One More Chance' is a good song]" The uncertainty in the tone of this review, plus having to constantly trying to defend their production decision is evidence enough that is song doesn't belong here. I am surprised the usually harsh Nikki was so lenient when it comes to groups with amazing vocals.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion this song isn't in the top 50 of 2011, I love CSJH, but this song is just so mediocre and unfit for their reputation and status as "queens". No matter how you spin the "art" in autotuning of this song, I just don't see how it's a good thing to mask their gorgeous vocals, plus this song is just so "not CSJH", not their style, not their thing. The versus of the song were ok, but the chorus is one of the most sleep-inducing I've heard for a promoted song in 2011, very anticlimactic.
Just my two cents, but I don't agree with this one. SM needs to bring them back in full force and give them better production that they deserve, preferably in the same manner they brought the gods of TVXQ back.
#24? wow, that's a pretty high ranking for this song, I thought it would be more like between 40 and 50. Its a really catchy and infectious song, but its so "Un-CSJH". This is more fit for F(x).
ReplyDeleteSunday and Dana have gorgeous voices. I mean, sure they are no Lina or anything, but i think they're really talented and to have even two of them comeback was a huge birthday gift for me (they made their comeback on my birthday :D).
But I was disappointed with the comeback, because they deserve something so much better because they can damn well pull it off. This song was a piece of cake for them.
The song is quirky enough and playful enough, but it was kind of boring after a while.
As a shapley...a huge shapley ( i have almost all their albums) it makes me sad to not see them get the songs and popularity they deserve. I love these girls so much, I want Stephanie and Lina to join them once again and make an epic comeback as four.