I meant to start recaps last Friday, but I decided to wait until the shows became just that much more interesting, courtesy of EXO-K and upcoming comebacks from 4Minute and SISTAR.
EXO-K - "MAMA"
Where to start, where to start. Oho, this is gonna be fun. :D I've expressed my dislike for EXO, and while I'm not going to defend myself for it, this "performance" just solidifies the fact that I don't like them. First of all, the purpose of a live performance as a measure of talent and skill is based around the concept that live performances are live. That you only have one chance to perform a song from start to finish, and regardless of whatever mistakes you make, what's done is done. Making mistakes doesn't make you untalented, it makes you human. But trying to hide those mistakes makes people suspicious. If I wanted to watch a perfect performance with studio vocals and no mistakes, I'd watch the music video. Better cinematography, better quality, no screaming fans so I can listen to the song in peace. This performance was pre-recorded, repeated more than five times, and lip-synched. Let's end it at that. Second, if they keep this up, this bad habit of lip-synching, it's yet another strike on their stage deportment. The SBS Gayo Daejun was a big, fat, strike one -- being disrespectful to their seniors, and the audience -- and this is another one. Okay, fine, DBSK, Super Junior, SNSD, SHINee and f(x) have all done it at certain points of their careers, and some of them continue to, but EXO have a lot to prove. Just for the record, DBSK did not lip-synch their debut performance, and anyone who thinks that way should go learn their history. They're also debuting in a time where technology is incredibly sophisticated and broadcast stations readily have the needed equipment to handle live performances. Although SBS isn't the best out of the three, the other acts on today show that they're perfectly capable of handling live performances. EXO have so much hype to live up to, and continuing to lip-synch and pre-record their way out of things will turn a lot of people off. Me included.
BTOB - "Insane"
I've heard a lot about BTOB, but like a few of the other acts on today, I've never seen them perform. Bad "Love In the Ice" cover aside (whichever of the members were singing it), BTOB are okay. They're not amazing or anything, but the song makes them sound like decent live singers, and it's catchy in certain parts. I'm not impressed, but I'm not turned off either.
NU'EST - "FACE"
I watched one of NU'EST's earlier performances a few weeks ago, and to say it was painful would be an understatement, so I stopped following them altogether. But I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised to see that they've greatly improved! I thought they were forever doomed as the male AS in every sense of the word, including live performances, but I see I was wrong. The vocals are still rough around the edges, but they sound, and look, much more comfortable on stage. I'll be keeping my eye on these guys.
Spica - "Painkiller"
I have actually never heard any Spica material, nor have I seen any performances, but this was pretty good! Strong vocals over-all, okay material, and actual stage presence! This is what I've been saying about being comfortable on stage -- it shows when you not only know what you're doing, but when you're sincere about it as well. That and pink hair and black pants girls can really sing!
B1A4 - "BABY I'M SORRY"
I wasn't really impressed with the recording of this, but I actually enjoyed today's performance! It's good to know that B1A4 have abandoned that horrid excuse for a song they were promoting last year, and have moved on to much better things. It's not the best song, or the best performance, but it's catchy, it works, and it's ever so slightly effortless. We're making progress, B1A4! Progress!
Nine Muses - "Ticket"
So I see we're still not very decent live singers, Nine Muses. The performance itself was okay, the song is on the bland side of being okay, and there's nothing really outstanding or interesting about anything.
CN Blue - "Hey You"
It was an okay performance, and the song is very CN Blue, but above all, it's good to know that someone finally put the drummer close to the rest of the band. Took you guys long enough!
Big Bang - "Bad Boy" + "Fantastic Baby"
Everyone had better be taking notes during Big Bang's performance, or else! They sounded a bit strained today, and as usual, someone turned their backing track way too high, but even if you're just watching the YouTube video you can really see and feel the performance. It's effortless but precise, it's fun when it's supposed to be, but it's not out of control.
SHINee - "Sherlock"(WINNER)
I don't know if it's just me, but something about this performance is off. Sure, everything was done almost perfectly, and there's no doubt that SHINee have become amazing performers, but it's as if the intensity of the vocals didn't match the intensity of the rest of the performance. It's not the technicals, because the notes were pretty much all there, it's not the emotion either because everyone sang with conviction, and it's obviously not in the volume because if that was the case I could've just turned it up. The levels didn't match this time around, I'm afraid.
DBSK's debut performance WAS lipsynced. "O Holy Night" was done live a capella and everything, but their "Hug" performance right after that was definitely lipsynched. In fact, the only SM groups that ever had debut live performances were SHINee and f(x). I was around when SHINee debuted and I remember a lot of the old timer K-pop fans being super impressed that for the first time ever, an SM group actually debuted with a live performance.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I was not impressed with EXO lipsynching BOTH of their performances. At the very least, they could've done one of the songs live. I'm waiting for their Music Bank debut to solidly judge them. Literally nobody lipsynchs in Music Bank anyway.
I agree. I actually like Exo, but I'm not even going to defend them on the fact that they had a lot to prove regarding the whole hype surrounding their debut and they just had to freakin' lip-sync. We all know SM has made their artists lip-sync in the past, but none of them were even remotely close to being so heavily promoted as Exo to prove that they're the next big thing to lead the Kpop scene.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I've seen fans who are blindly defending Exo with blatantly unrelated excuses like 'The choreography is really hard to dance and sing at the same time!', 'Hey one of the members were injured!', or 'It's okay because they can sing live just look at their showcase,' I'm sorry, do those reasons exclude the fact that they actually lip-synced their debut stage? The fact of the matter is, they could've proven to a lot of people that beyond those 1234567894 teasers and a mediocre debut song at best they actually have real potential by singing LIVE, and they didn't.
I was really disappointed, because through those endless teasers their materials are actually quite good. Baby Don't Cry and My Lady, although short, left a deeper impression on me as compared to their debut song, MAMA. Even their prologue songs were better. I don't know. Maybe they'll prove us wrong on next week's music shows. Right now, I'm just really disappointed and hella pissed at myself that the only reason I'm still keeping my hopes up for EXO is the fact that they haven't had a break and one of the members have a broken ankle. I so did not notice that in their performance and I give props that the member kept his professionalism and continued in spite of so.
Now I don't even know the whole point of this long-winded comment. -facepalm-
I agree. I actually like Exo, but I'm not even going to defend them on the fact that they had a lot to prove regarding the whole hype surrounding their debut and they just had to freakin' lip-sync. We all know SM has made their artists lip-sync in the past, but none of them were even remotely close to being so heavily promoted as Exo to prove that they're the next big thing to lead the Kpop scene.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I've seen fans who are blindly defending Exo with blatantly unrelated excuses like 'The choreography is really hard to dance and sing at the same time!', 'Hey one of the members were injured!', or 'It's okay because they can sing live just look at their showcase,' I'm sorry, do those reasons exclude the fact that they actually lip-synced their debut stage? The fact of the matter is, they could've proven to a lot of people that beyond those 1234567894 teasers and a mediocre debut song at best they actually have real potential by singing LIVE, and they didn't.
I was really disappointed, because through those endless teasers their materials are actually quite good. Baby Don't Cry and My Lady, although short, left a deeper impression on me as compared to their debut song, MAMA. Even their prologue songs were better. I don't know. Maybe they'll prove us wrong on next week's music shows. Right now, I'm just really disappointed and hella pissed at myself that the only reason I'm still keeping my hopes up for EXO is the fact that they haven't had a break and one of the members have a broken ankle. I so did not notice that in their performance and I give props that the member kept his professionalism and continued in spite of so.
Now I don't even know the whole point of this long-winded comment. -facepalm-
I agree with u about EXO. I'm sure their members can handle vocals better than other idol groups, but they should only be compared within the company. I mean it obvious with the hype that EXO will be popular, no doubt about that. But if they want to live up to the kind of goals that previous S.M. bands have, then they will need to show their vocals LIVE. If they don't surpass other groups vocally. then they may end up as a mediocre band. I mean, most idols can handle the dancing, but they need to showcase vocals, and they need to be amazing. A good band maybe good at dancing, but if their vocals aren't just as good, then they should use some work.... But hopefully EXO will show their vocal strength with some smooth tracks in the future.
ReplyDeletei was kinda uninterested in EXO since I read they had like a thousand teasers but like every new group, I waited their debut stage and then... THEY LIPSYNC... i was like O___O whut?!! and then on the comment box fans were justifying it!
ReplyDeleteim not gonna compare but I remember reading comments of people FLAMMING to death groups that lipsynched in their debut stage but now some fans are defending them and telling everyone "its doesnt matter" what? bias much?... i mean, it was their chance...
I personally wouldnt mind the lipsync that much if it wasnt for the zillion teasers, the statement that they would be the best of the best and some of the delusional fans saying they were the best singers on Earth without hearing them live...
hmm...that's true. even though I'm not a DBSK fan, but when DBSK promoted on the older music shows like "Music Camp" and etc (equivalent to Music Core and so on) back in '04...they sang live.
ReplyDeleteWith all the hype EXO was getting....I was really looking forward to them, but I was quite disappointed, especially music-wise, after like a bajillion teasers. I get the fact that they dance...But they should be practicing more as singers rather than dancers.