The Chopping Block
Dissecting anything and everything SNSD.
[ALBUM] Girls' Generation TTS – Holler
[MV] Dancing to your own rhythm
cr: self-edit
Edited by tjsthysysIN, 14 June 2016 - 02:48 PM.
Posted 18 January 2015 - 07:20 AM
The Chopping Block
Dissecting anything and everything SNSD.
[ALBUM] Girls' Generation TTS – Holler
[MV] Dancing to your own rhythm
cr: self-edit
Edited by tjsthysysIN, 14 June 2016 - 02:48 PM.
Posted 18 January 2015 - 07:22 AM
소녀시대 아저씨. 아저씨.
Girls' Generation 2014 title track Mr. Mr. Was a hot mess full of MV delays, data corruption and album leaks. The hype surrounding the release was evident and it only grew when every obstacle possible construed was thrown in it's path. This eventually lead to the delay of the track's release but that didn't stop it from being yet another massive hit, gathering 9 music show broadcast wins in it's short promotion cycle.
The teaser video was released on our Shikshin's birthday. It promised us nine moody angels hanging around what seemed to be an abandoned hospital. Just your casual Sunday.
Although they were dressed in hospital gear holding all sorts of paraphernalia, the teaser video was full of on-screen static and interference. Obviously SM was trying to send us a message but we didn't heed it. They were trying to tell us to expect the same amount of static and interference in the full-length music video as well.
Then came the onslaught of management slip-up after slip-up. The complete music video now with extra re-shot footage to compensate for the data lost by SM was released a full 18 days after the teaser video. If I correctly recall, the teaser video amassed about 3-4 million views in anticipation of the music video.
The final product although entertaining fell short of several expectations. The patch up work was obvious and a little bit of a disappointment. But every cloud has a silver lining, Mr. Mr.'s being Yuri's hair and the ensuing avalanche of memes, even some by her own members, *wink*Lion King*wink*!
This unusual music video can only call for an equally unusual review
cr: SMTOWN@yt
General stuff
-SM's love story with lens flares continues in this MV.
-Surprisingly no Genie or Everysing ad.
In detail
-Taeyeon not looking 24.
-Seohyun solving a rubik's cube. #SeoJuHyunForPresident
-Sunny slaying her first line. Her voice in this track is like effing opium. She has my favourite parts in this track. Maeil haruga dareuge buranhaejyeo ga
-Yoona rocking that side ponytail. Nugungaga
-Jessica's eyeliner! *no words*
-All I can focus on is Yoona
-Taeyeon not looking 24, again.
-Hyoyeon leaving the parking lot like a bau5.
-Jessica. Jawline. *no words*
-Stop Tiffany. Just stahp. Mr. inji [Pause at 1:39 if you do not suffer from a heart condition]
-Sunny slaying it, again. Mirael yeoneun yeolsoe baro niga gajin heol
-Yuri's My mi, mi, mister rock this world leading up to that head-bob and group V-formation.
-Sunny at 2:12. Just pause it there. Qt. [Serious feels for Sunny & Tiffany in this MV. I don't know why?]
-That Hwang Miyoung. She is so versatile in the visual department. In this MV alone, she portrays so many different looks and concepts. The pink cocktail dress look, the fringe (bangs) look, the side parted Mr. inji look, the fedora look and the black & white dress look. That's 5 different looks (she looks different to me in them).
-OK here we go, dance break!
-Which lasts for a total of 7 seconds out of the 19 allotted for it. But I don't mind this. It just makes me want to watch the live performances even more. You know Hyoyeon is slaying it.
-Sooyoung's button nose is all I can see. God damn lens flare almost blocked her face!
-Paparazzi moment. Walk like you own the place. [PS. Tiffany defying the laws of physics #melons]
-That lucky ahjussi waking up.
-Those god damn outfits. And wait who are those people sitting on the floor.
-Wait what? Back-up dancers?
-Wait what? That's Seohyun, Tiffany and Taeyeon by themselves in the centre. TTS? Comeback?
-End pose. From left to right : Sunny, Sooyoung, Hyoyeon, Seohyun, Taeyeon, Tiffany, Jessica, Yoona, Yuri
-The Mr.Mr. pulse. While mine is flat-lining.
There are a lot of solo shots in this MV [YAY!] which are ruined [NO!] because of lens flare.
Frankly, I'd love this track even more if they had named it AhjussiAhjussi.
The MV is amazing. There wasn't any deviation from the teaser video. Literally none; static, interference, et al.
Posted 18 January 2015 - 12:36 PM
Awesome review, my friend ! I really enjoyed your light-hearted analysis of the whole music video .
Thank you very much for posting it for us here on Soshified to enjoy .
Cheers !
Kenneth.
Posted 09 February 2015 - 05:03 AM
Girls' Generation TTS – Holler
Holler
TTS's second title track is a regular SM hook track. Ever since the overwhelming success of Super Junior's Sorry Sorry and Girls' Generation's very own Gee, SM Entertainment has stuck to a staple diet of employing hook songs for it's idol groups title tracks. Holler is dominated by short repetitive trumpet sounds and a little bit of drum work towards the end. The track progresses from verse to chorus at a medium tempo. As for the vocals, TTS does a good job with Taeyeon leading Seohyun and Tiffany. Although one aspect of the track felt unneccessary, namely Tiffany's rap. All in all, Holler is well executed although not addictive at first, it tends to grow on you. The “Holler, Holler, Holler” successfully beckons the listener, making them play the track over and over again.
Adrenaline
Adrenaline is an upbeat track that uses clap sounds and drums as it's base and eases into an cheerful chorus. Adrenaline also employs the same “Adrenaline, Adrenaline, Adrenaline” as Holler used with its' “Holler, Holler, Holler” adding a hype factor to the track as it pumps the listener up. I would have preferred to have Adrenaline as TTS' title track as both Adrenaline and Holler fit SM's criteria of being hook songs but Adrenaline is more upbeat and cheerful.
Whisper
TTS's pre-release track deserved the all-kill status it achieved, topping several domestic online music charts. Whisper is distinctly different from the other offerings on the Holler EP. It's slow lazy beat coaxes you into a fluffy embrace as the soft sweet chorus envelopes you. Whisper is a sweet pleasure one would listen to on a rainy evening while fondly remembering a past relationship.
Stay
Stay starts of with a piano arrangement and eases into beats with the piano as it's base. It's equally as upbeat and cheerful as Adrenaline although they exude different auras. Tiffany's marked improvement is evident in her parts scattered around the track, especially her solo right before the last chorus. Even her rap part was well sung and unlike in Holler, it fit into the track. The “Oh oh oh oh” is a sweet sugary coating on an upbeat cheerful chorus. Stay is the perfect track to sing along to on a long drive during the summer.
Only U
Only U also uses a piano arrangement as it's base but it's very different from Adrenaline. Only U reminds me of All My Love For You. It's sharp and graceful with gentle vocals. Seohyun, the epitome of grace and femininity, deservedly penned the lyrics to this track, my favourite line being from the chorus;
“Even if pain from the faded past comes (Baraejin gieoge apeumi ondaedo)
I will always tell you my heart that only beats toward you (Eonjena neoegeman ttwineun nae maeumeul jeonhae jul geoya)”
Only U is a gracefully executed track with fitting lyrics that display TTS's vocal style.
EYES
EYES is the track that I like the most from this EP. Although a little reminiscent of Ariana Grande's Problem.The brass sections are dominant but not intrusive. The different melodies are backed with TTS's entire range of vocal techniques. Taeyeon's bridge serves as a figurative bridge between Tiffany's husky muscular vocals and Seohyun's high range parts. They combine very well to turn it into an enjoyable gorgeous track.
The 2nd EP is well produced that not only displays the sub-unit's vocal prowess but also successfully incorporates suitable arrangement into each track; something Twinkle couldn't manage, depending too much on TTS' vocals. Holler makes full use of TTS's vocal style and range, melding each member's individual colour into a beautiful canvas. I genuinely enjoyed the EP.
Posted 11 April 2015 - 12:48 PM
Caught GG
On August 24th, 2014, SMTOWN released Girls' Generation's universal hashtag through their official YouTube channel, urging SONEs worldwide to #catchGG in what I personally perceive as a very clever diss to professional sasaeng agencies such as Dispatch who claim themselves to be media outlets when in fact their "reporters" are known to invade the privacy of South Korea's dearest, whether it's in the country (our girls) or in another continent (the recent Suzy-LMH).
229 days and one unfortunate event later, Girls' Generation unveiled their prized catch. Too little, too late? Not in my opinion.
From the teaser video itself, it was evident that Catch Me If You Can would be an EDM-centric track. This has by far been Girls' Generation's most successful attempt at EDM incorporation.
Crisp synths to complement a steady bass-induced background beat with grungier offbeats thrown in between to differentiate each member's part. Then a complete 180 degree turn in the arrangement gives us a calmer smooth entry into the chorus, but not before it raises it's tempo in anticipation for the chorus to kick in.
As previously mentioned, this is an EDM-centric track; therefore I don't mind the fact that the chorus has very very few lines in it. In fact, I applaud SM for trying this new technique and I find it perfectly suitable for an EDM-centric track. The chorus is an energetic mix of beats and synths, preparing the audience's heartbeat for the ensuing chase. If the chorus were to have the standard amount of lines in it, the track would lose it's focus and drift away from the EDM theme that it's trying to achieve.
As far as the choreography goes, I don't know whether it's BEATBURGER, ex-idol current-SM-choreo-ring-leader Shim Jaewon, or gold old Rino Nakasone that I have to thank. The choreography is everything that was missing from Mr. Mr.
The movements are crisp like the synths, fast and pump the atmosphere up. SM choreographies are always on point but CMIYC impressed me from the get go. Whoever thought of putting Sunny, Tiffany, Yoona and Seohyun to writhe on the floor while Sooyoung gets some much-overdue vocal-time is a genius. Yoona looks ethereal as she slays that first step in the chorus, making me want to rob the nearest bank while at the same time giving me a legitimate reason to fly to South Korea and stand outside SM's Gangnam-gu office, waiting for her. What more impetus do I need if Yoona herself is asking me to catch her if I can?!
The choreography during Sooyoung's part straight after the first chorus is ridiculously brilliant as all the members shuffle in a perfect synchronised fashion. Practice really does make perfect. Yuri hairflips are more than welcome, but first I must wipe the puddle of drool forming near my keyboard.
The camera work is bang on point. I would like to thank SM for not putting in any unnecessary lens-flares and pop-up ads in this music video. The camera movement from group shots to steady zoom and pans for member shots are perfect. The decreased number of cut-to's and solo shots need to be applauded because that gives us a chance to admire the flawless choreography in all it's grandeur. I like how they used something inanely off-point and luxurious as hiring a goddamn helicopter to transition between the day and night scenes. It's a clean use of the bottomless coffers that is SM's bank balance. After all, only SM would hire a helicopter to fly over the MV/PV location site for a mere 2 second appearance so that they can transition between shots. Don't forget, the helicopter had to fly over the MV site once during the day and once during the night to successfully shoot and have it edited to show the transition. Why such a luxurious expense? Because SM can and Girls' Generation will always warrant this amount of respect as their biggest girl-group cash cow.
The styling and visuals for SM produced MVs are expectedly gorgeous. Whether it's the mid-riff baring crop top and cargo pants combination or the nosebleed-inducing unrealistic construction worker uniform, Girls' Generation showcase why they are considered idol royalty. My personal favourite is the unrealistic construction worker uniforms, because glorious legs 0.0
In terms of vocals, there seems to be a much welcomed equal distribution of parts between the members. My favourite lyrics being Taeyeon's power-packed delivery of
"Look at me, shining on you more hotly than the sun / 태양보다 뜨겁게 널 비추는 나를 봐 / Taeyangboda tteugeopge neol bichunuen nareul bwa"
My complaints with the MV/PV:
Although, as far as Japanese releases go; this track has a lot to answer for. Girls' Generation's Japanese tracks hold a special place in my heart as it was FLOWER POWER that compelled me to step into this world. If compared to other tracks that don't even have a music video such as Reflection, The Great Escape, Karma Butterfly, etc., Catch Me If You Can doesn't meet my, admittedly high, expectations.
All in all; it's GG's most solid delivery at an EDM-centric track. The visuals and choreography are breathtaking. The music video should be watched from the 24th second onwards.
cr: SMTOWN@youtube
Posted 11 April 2015 - 01:08 PM
I loved the in-depth analysis of not only the musical and artistic delivery but also the environmental factors to which that CMIYC was released; I found myself basically agreeing with everything you said (probably because I come from the background of bias). Loved your way of expressing your opinions as well.
Hoping to see more reviews from you soon.
Posted 17 April 2015 - 11:00 AM
I loved the in-depth analysis of not only the musical and artistic delivery but also the environmental factors to which that CMIYC was released; I found myself basically agreeing with everything you said (probably because I come from the background of bias). Loved your way of expressing your opinions as well.
Hoping to see more reviews from you soon.
Thanks. I'll try an review something in the coming fortnight. Can you see the youtube embeds for the CMIYC post? My browser's showing just the links...
Please fix it if you can't see it!
Posted 17 April 2015 - 11:41 AM
Thanks. I'll try an review something in the coming fortnight. Can you see the youtube embeds for the CMIYC post? My browser's showing just the links...
Please fix it if you can't see it!
Edited the links. I think that should work.. do you see them now too?
Posted 17 April 2015 - 11:51 AM
Edited the links. I think that should work.. do you see them now too?
They're visible, thanks!
Posted 10 May 2016 - 08:52 PM
Dancing to your own rhythm
News of Tiffany’s debut solo did not come as a shock to SONEs or the KPop community. SM had already unveiled numerous solo acts from ShinEE’s Taemin and Jonghyun, to SNSD’s very own Taeyeon. A “leaked document” further proved the rumours that Tiffany was to be given a solo debut of her own. Now as far as previous attempts made by SM go, the acts listed above enjoyed their fair share of public recognition and popularity. Each of tracks released won top spot at a live music broadcast atleast, fared well on digital rankings, and the songs were well produced and arranged.
Tiffany who previously mesmerised us with a rendition of Ariana Grande’s The Way, has done it again with I Just Wanna Dance. The MV teaser didn’t let out any clues to what the song would sound like but did give us a glimpse into the concept of the MV. A slow flurry of images attack the viewer with little to none exposed about the track. Big City skyline, Tiffany seated by herself in a diner, eyes slowly closing, footprints in the sand. This dreamy sequence of events lays the foundation for an inspiring concept that has been visualised for I Just Wanna Dance.
The MV starts out with a big city skyline reflected on to itself. The Black and Red meant to be in contrast to each other. Not the normal Black and White, but interestingly enough Black and Red. Tiffany strolls into an ordinary diner. It’s almost as if Tiffany has been feeling worn out as a singer. Just looking for a moment to close her eyes and breathe, she sets off for anywhere that is far away from South Korea. An echo in the distance makes way for the catchy synth beats that will go on to set the framework of the entire track. Finally the song materialises into existence.
She sits herself down in a booth, and closes her eyes for a second. A breather away from the public eye. A chance to catch up with herself. The colours change from black to red and the diner is now empty except for our lead character. SM have done a good job of incorporating scenery and images that reflect Tiffany’s path to stardom till now.
“며칠째 내린 비가 그친 밤
I feel good”
“It’s been raining for a few days and it finally stopped tonight
I feel good”
The juxtaposition of Black and Red instead of the normal Black and White speak volumes of the unconventional path a young Stephanie from Diamond Bar, LA had to take. Having lost her mother at a young age and father who wouldn’t let his daughter travel across the world to find herself in South Korea, like the unconventional Black and Red.
After debuting with SNSD and reaching the heights of popularity that they achieved, it all came at a price. Constantly in the public eye, every single move of hers picked at and taken apart, dissected and commented upon by those who call themselves “Industry Specialists” and “Esteemed Journalists”. Amidst the fame and good fortune showered upon her, Tiffany was hardly ever given the chance to be herself, to dance like nobody was watching her. But even in this hurricane Tiffany enjoyed the ride.
“한편의 쇼가 끝난 후에
텅 빈 무대 같은 도시
It’s alright It’s alright
젖은 공기 속으로
날 비추는 가로등
좋아 내 몸이 움직여
I just wanna dance the night away
두 눈을 감고 dance in the moonlight
점점 더 달아올라 뜨겁게
나도 날 멈출 수 없어 No way”
“The city is like an empty stage
After a show ends
It’s alright It’s alright
Into the wet air
The street lights shine on me
I like it, my body is moving
I just wanna dance the night away
As I close my eyes dance in the moonlight
It’s getting hotter
I can’t stop myself, no way”
Now reborn as a rookie solo artist, Tiffany has to find herself again in this maze called the KPop Industry. However, after having experienced the view from the top, she takes this opportunity to release any inhibitions she had before. Tiffany wants to dance like nobody is watching her.
“아주 슬픈 영화에 취한 것 보다
지금 난 더 헝클어지고 싶을 뿐이야”
“I wanna get more messed up
Than being immersed in a very sad movie”
Although some unfortunate events unfolded a couple of years ago, the track accepts it as part of life. The ups and downs that happen to many a people. But rather than over-analysing it, she wants to move on. Take the pain and sorrow, and learn from the experience. She wants to continue living in the present rather than thinking too much about the past.
“하루하루 바꿔 쓰는
가면들 속에 나를 숨겼어
지금 난 더 솔직해지고
싶은 것뿐이야”
“I hid myself behind the masks
that change every day
I just wanna
get more honest right now”
This speaks volumes of the shy teenager from 2009 to the social butterfly that she has now become. Through all the comments and criticism she received even Tiffany couldn’t handle it sometimes, choosing to hide behind ever-changing masks. But now she is ready to take on the world.
While others might see this as a catchy electro-pop song with gorgeous eye-candy and smooth vocals, I see more as an anthem for the current generation. An inspiring song that lays everything out in the open. At a time where everything we do is subject to interrogation, whether it is by our peers or parents, Tiffany tells it like it. She says it’s all right, it’s okay. All you need to do is you’re your rhythm and dance to it. Someone once said ‘Music is food for the soul’ and I think Tiffany has done just that with this release. She lay her feelings bare for everyone to see and inspect, but in the end she doesn’t need anyone’s validation to tell her if what she did was right or wrong.
She just wants to enjoy herself from now onwards, dance to the rhythm. She just wants to dance the night away.
Credit: Videos from SMTOWN YouTube Channel | Lyrics and Translation from colorcodedlyrics.com
Posted 16 May 2016 - 11:44 PM
Flight Plan
Jessica finally made her solo debut with the release of “Fly”, a pleasant mid-tempo pop song that wisely used minimalistic beats to make sure Jessica’s signature high-pitched sweet voice was given free rein to carry the song. The chorus is catchy and Jessica’s adlibs in the background mesh well with the rest of the track.
Mainly produced by, what I can only imagine is Coridel’s new in-house composer, veteran KMack the track undoubtedly has his American pop feel to it. He made the wise decision of using an arrangement that would complement Jessica’s range rather than clash with it. Even rapper Fabulous’ part goes well with the song, not breaking the flow or taking any attention away from the song, but instead lending a helping hand with well-written lyrics that even go as far as linking her San Francisco roots with mentions of SF’s very own Golden State Warriors and their point guard Stephen Curry.
The MV is aesthetically shot with beautiful wide shots of the location and colourful elements of the locale providing juxtaposition to the barren desert. It starts begins from where the teasers left off at; Jessica lying in a bathtub in the middle of a desert, pondering over a postcard. The visuals certainly deliver the message of this track. Every once in a while we find ourselves alone and lost, through no major fault of our own. Even though we’ve made provisions for our future, life doesn’t always go according to plan. Our goals keep changing, especially after we’ve already achieved the ones we set for our self long ago. It’s about pursuing our dreams, rather than following someone else’s vision of how your life should pan out.
Thrown into the barren dry desert that is the world of KPop at a young age, she still stuck to the daily routine trying to adapt to this change in environment. Even though she yearned for cooler climates where snow was abundant and the scenery was caked in white, she still persevered and did her time in the desert, trying her best to fit in. But suddenly her life turns upside down on it’s head, and now that she’s had enough, it is time to pack her bags and head off to the place where she wants to be, doing the things that she wants to do. On her way out she receives a snowglobe from her younger self, reminding her to choose her own path rather be a slave to someone else’s.
The song and rap fit perfectly together because the main theme, self-empowerment, is continued with no hindrance to the flow or lyrics. I may be biased as an old OT9er, but I felt proud of Jessica after finishing the MV. She’s been through hell and back with everything that happened, but she’s come out of it with a certain clarity to her actions. She always had a plan in mind, constantly rechecking the postcard the postcard that I assumed she sent to herself. But various things like previous commitments, self-doubt and fear of failure held her back.
“Fly” is everything Jessica personifies right now, and she encourages everyone to follow their own path as well. Doubt, failure, and loss only hold you back, but if you don’t spread your wings and take flight, you will be left wondering of what could have been.
Credit: Coridel Entertainment YouTube Channel
Posted 18 May 2016 - 08:57 AM
"시간이 흘러 힘겨워지면
Then baby Ooh would you love me the same
세상에 오직 둘뿐이라면 그때도
Ooh would you love me the same"
"When time goes by and things get hard
Then baby Ooh would you love me the same
If there’s only the two of us in the world, even then
Ooh would you love me the same"
Credit: Coridel Entertainment YouTube Channel, kpopviral.com, ink365.com
Posted 14 June 2016 - 02:47 PM
Hip-Pop Hotel
SM Station’s latest release can be taken as a continuation of Tiffany’s foray into the solo scene. With AOMG’s Simon Dominic featuring in it I expected an RnB/Hip-Hop song but was pleased to find that it’s in fact a crossover between Tiffany’s favourite genre Mainstream Pop and AOMG’s signature RnB/Hip-Hop.
This further solidifies SM Entertainment’s intentions to give their artists more freedom in pursuing their passion while underlining SM Station’s original intentions in big bold letters, which is dabbling with crossovers. With the current roster overflowing, talent like BoA, Bada, GG backed up, and TVXQ + SJ members to still come out of military conscription, SM has a lot on their plate. But they are doing a good job of balancing things out and taking care of their artists.
I’m a big fan of the chime sounds that set the track off. Tiffany’s been allowed to maintain her mid-range vocals, with the occasional piano undertones mixed around the repetitive clap beat which gives the entire track a crossover Hip-Pop feel. The slow piano and chimes representing the Hip-Hop/RnB pat of the track, and the regular clap beat representing the Mainstream Pop genre that Tiffany proudly fangirled about to none other than Park Jin-Young of JYP fame on a recent episode of KBS’ Sister Slam Dunk.
The soothing chorus is crisply delivered and the English lyrics of the track blend in well, something that is difficult to accomplish in most KPop songs. Simon D’s rap is well-executed, I wouldn’t expect anything less from a veteran like him. In the spirit of SM Station’s crossover theme, the track is a smooth continuation from Pop to Hip-Hop and then back again. Tiffany’s growth as a vocal powerhouse in the low- to mid-ranges is evident in this release. She has managed to toe the line between the two without taking any undue attention away from the track. She has found her range, and has the good sense to stick to it. The ad-libs were pleasant to hear and the track in general is a bittersweet earworm. It’s difficult to get Tiffany’s soft “Heartbreak Hotel” line out of one’s head after just one listen.
With a voice like hers, it’s tough to imagine the fool that would break her heart.
Credit: SMTOWN's Official YouTube Channel
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