TVXQ - 왜 (Keep Your Head Down)
Album: 왜 (Keep Your Head Down)

Please know that I am completely neutral on this HoMin and JYJ thing, so in terms of bias, I have none.

01 왜 (Keep Your Head Down)

Starts out with a great guitar rift that I simply cannot get over! All of the boys of TVXQ have beautiful voices, but I always thought Yunho, especially, had this distinct voice that made his different from the other members (not that I’m saying all of the members have the same voice), particularly because his was a bit lower and great for rapping. There was a particular rap portion of his that I flinched at (2:42-2:49) just because I believe his voice is not suited for that pitch. Changmin, as always, has a lovely tenor that I never get tired of.

02 믿기 싫은 이야기 (How can I)

Your typical ballad. Beautiful voices. You can definitely hear that Changmin and Yunho’s voices really compliment each other, but other than that, nothing really special.

03 MAXIMUM

Starts off with what I think is the Korean traditional instrument, the Gayageum (가야금) – sorry if I’m wrong. It’s definitely something rare in the Kpop (not trot) songs I’ve heard and the instrument continues to be played in parts of the song, which adds something different, and it’s definitely a positive. I feel this song is in the same department, so to say, as 왜 (Keep Your Head Down) – that is, a little dark and lots of energy.

04 CRAZY

Wow, I feel like I’m being thrown back in time with this song with the use of synthesizers (are they synthesizers? I’m not a music expert). Reminds me of the good old days of being a Backstreet Boys and NSYNC fan. Overall: A straight up pop song, very catchy, something fun to dance to!

05 Honey Funny Bunny

… what a funny title. Too bad I can’t understand the lyrics to see why the title deserves to be, well, the title. You’d think from the title that the song would be very cutesy-like, but it’s actually very R&B-ish! I’m a sucker for good R&B. These boys singing HONEY FUNNY BUNNY in their very sexy voices to a very sexy R&B tune doesn’t make me feel very sexy. On the contrary, I try not to crack up – but anyway, good song, weird title.

06 RUMOR

I call songs like these “hidden songs” because they’re songs I would not mind listening to at any time of the day, would not skip on my iPod, would put in a specific playlist that I listen to all the time, etc. That is saying a lot because I can be very picky about my music. I fell in love within the first 10 seconds. How do I describe songs like this? They’re songs hidden in the middle of the album that you listen to, and you’re subconsciously nodding your head or tapping your foot to the beat – then you realize, “Holy crap. What the hell is the title of this song?” Make sense? Yeah, I know I’m weird. Overall: Both Pop-ish and R&B-ish, extremely catchy beat.

07 고백 (Confession)

Another ballad. Again, very beautiful voices. Sorry for the short review for this song, but after hearing groups like Brown Eyed Soul, V.O.S, December, Monday Kiz, etc., you can’t NOT be ruined for other ballads.

08 Our Game

I would love to see them dance to this! This is another dark song, but not in the same way as the other dark songs in the album. Both 왜 and MAXIMUM are both very high energy songs, but Our Game has a more subtle energy. Don’t get me wrong - you can definitely feel it, but instead of the all out yelling match in Songs 1 and 3, you get a heated, whispered argument with the occasional growl. Does that make sense? My metaphors are weird. Here’s me hoping they dance + sing to this during their comeback or maybe their follow up. -crosses fingers-

09 SHE

Not a ballad, not R&B – a slow, emotion wracking pop song? I really like the violin accompaniment!

10 아테나 (ATHENA)

I don’t normally listen to OSTs of dramas I don’t watch, regardless of the artist, and I wasn’t planning to listen to it, but since they included it in the album, I might as well. I don’t watch Athena, and I have no idea what it’s about, but the OST is pretty god damn epic. YES, the word is overused, but it needs to be said to describe this song! I can’t get over the chorus. This song uses the best of their vocal abilities, or at least summarizes the awesomeness that is the voices of Changmin and Yunho.

—

FAVORITES: RUMOR, Our Game, 아테나 

OVERALL: 8/10 

Brown Eyed Soul - Love Ballad
Album: Brown Eyed Soul Vol. 3

01 Soul Breeze
02 Blowin` My Mind
03 똑같다면
04 그대
05 Can`t Stop Loving You
06 Rainy
07 With Chocolate
08 담배가게 아가씨
09 Never Forget
10 Love Ballad
11 You
12 비켜줄께
13 Gone
14 He Is Real
15 Your Song (Gratitude)

—

I never get tired of those ballads.