AFTERSCHOOL – Lady Luck/Dilly Dally June 18, 2012

Track Listing

1. Lady Luck
2. Dilly Dally
3. SLOW LOVE (CD only)
4. Lady Luck [Instrumental]
5. Dilly Dally [Instrumental]
6. SLOW LOVE [Instrumental]

1. Lady Luck

Now I haven’t listened to AFTERSCHOOL for very long and such but I have heard all their Japanese releases and so far they haven’t had a cute song lead a single yet and that’s where Lady Luck comes in because it’s cutesy and kind of reminds me of some of SNSD’s more cuter stuff.  I’m not a big fan of the cute K-pop stuff bit since Lady Luck is an original tune, I can’t fault it on that.  It’s sparkly and full of girliness and cute plushies which is different for the group which I can respect, but it’s just not my thing.

2. Dilly Dally

If you were a fan of their album, “PLAYGIRLZ”, Dilly Dally would be more down your line because it’s more darker and sexy to listen to.  I really liked this tune because it took what was good from their previous releases and made the idea a lot easier.  I also think it’s like KARA’s “Speed Up” for some reason but it’s just me I guess.  I love hearing the ladies in a deeper tone than before.  Plus the song is just all kinds of catchy for some reason.  Definitely the better A-side of the release.

3. SLOW LOVE

Weird that the lone B-side is on one edition of the single!  Another side of AFTERSCHOOL I’m not totally used to quite yet, SLOW LOVE is set as an R&B track and lets the ladies have more room to sing and goodness it sounds quite pleasant despite this genre of music bores me.  It’s a bit cute since there’s some synths involved but it’s not bad and I really enjoyed the flow of the song as well.

 

 

As it is Kahi’s final single with the group and before Ga Eun’s debut with the group, Lady Luck/Dilly Dally isn’t a bad single but it might surprise their Japanese fans.  Why?  Well Lady Luck is cute and their A-sides before have all been these dance heavy tracks like “Diva” and “Rambling girls”.  I’m not a fan of Lady Luck since it isn’t my taste but might tickle someone’s fancy if they like the cute tracks.  Dilly Dally was more along my lines since it was darker, cool, and just all around stronger!  SLOW LOVE was a pretty good surprise since it was sultry and something they haven’t done a lot of.  Nice single…now I wonder how Ga Eun will fit in the group ^_^

AFTERSCHOOL – PLAYGIRLZ March 15, 2012

Track Listing

1. Rip off
2. Rambling girls
3. BROKEN HEART feat. Jung-A, Raina, Nana, E-Young
4. Diva [Japan Ver.]
5. Just in time
6. Shampoo [Japan Ver.]
7. Because of you [Japan Ver.]
8. Gimme Love
9. Miss Futuristic feat. Kahi, Juyeon, U-ie, Lizzy
10. Bang! [Japan Ver.]
11. Tell me
12. Shanghai Romance [Japan Ver.] (CD only)

1. Rip off

I love the pinball machine shtick that starts the album.  Rip off is kind of aggressive but so different from what I know of the group and it just kind of took me to a different place.  Though I will say how they say ~rip off~ is kind of funny to hear.  I’m surprised that at only three minutes, it felt longer hahaha.  Still a good way to open the album up!

2. Rambling girls

Third A-side and the primary one, Rambling girls is some hot shit right here.  I love the deeper synth beats and the mysterious flow of the girls…but also comes off in a good way because they sound more sexy than they did back in “Diva” and “Bang!”.  I still do have my problems with the song like the chorus being full of ~la la la~ and nothing really more.  The verses though…god it’s orgasmic!

3. BROKEN HEART feat. Jung-A, Raina, Nana, E-Young

So two of the album songs are split between the 8 members!  BROKEN HEART is kind of a little more pop-based than the previous two tracks but I’m good because the tune sounds really nice and the chorus is aggressive but not at the levels of the previous two tracks.  The four girls sound really good together oddly enough.  I liked it a lot!

4. Diva [Japan Ver.]

Damn, this album has impressed me so far!  Diva comes next and like I said in the single review, this was actually the only song that was given a new arrangement in lieu of the original’s.  I hate to say it but they slammed the original into the ground but you can’t deny the new aggressive nature and electro-ish feel gave it new light and the girls sound better!  I think it’s my favorite of the 4 A-sides on the album!

5. Just in time

After those energetic songs, we start to calm down a little bit with Just in time which kind of has this cute SNSD sound to it which isn’t a surprise to me but I do like the kind of laidback feel to it.  Though I do question that buzzing synth here in the verses because it’s kind of annoying.  It’s different but I know AFTERSCHOOL for their energetic tracks not stuff like this lol.

6. Shampoo [Japan Ver.]

So the album gets two more new Korean to Japanese songs.  One is Shampoo and while I never heard the original yet, Shampoo here sounds a lot more impressive than “Just in time” though the rapping sequence is a tad bit weird for me.  Still I thought this was a better cute song for the group than the previous song oddly enough.

7. Because of you [Japan Ver.]

As I reviewed the single, I still think the Korean version still sounds better overall than the Japanese to be honest because it didn’t feel as strong IMHO.  I mean it does catch up in the chorus but I’m still feeling for the original version just a whole lot more but not a bad try tbh.

8. Gimme Love

Moving out of the cute songs of the album, we swerve back into their energetic dance tracks with Gimme Love.  I will admit that I love the vibe I got out of this song because it has a certain K-pop glow but mixed in with their Japanese feel which really worked.  All the girls sound great and while the auto-tune is there, it’s not utilized all over the song so that’s good news.  Probably my favorite of the new songs.

9. Futuristic Love feat. Kahi, Juyeon, U-ie, Lizzy

We get to our other split song in Futuristic Love and then I start to worry because of the intro with the auto-tune abuse.  I do approve of the arrangement having a lighter but still danceable feel to it but OMG why did these four need to have the auto-tune going on…I mean you have Kahi who’s a great singer and I’m sure the other three sing well too >.>  I mean, it’s catchy and all but I felt these four got the short end of the stick here…

10. Bang! [Japan Ver.]

So the group’s debut A-side is found near the end of the album huh.  To be honest, I felt that of the upbeat songs on the album, Bang! just didn’t cut it for me even though it was the optimal choice to debut with since it was big in Korea.  I did love the PV since it was a marching band kind of motif, but since the PV isn’t what I’m talking about it’s hard to form an opinion.  It’s different and the girls are yelling the chorus which is new to me…but “Diva” and “Rambling girls” outrank it in the A-sides.

11. Tell me

The final song on the album does make sense closing the album but it’s weird coming off from the previous three songs to this song which could’ve fit somewhere around “Shampoo” and “Because of you” since it’s cute but it’s also a ballad.  I do like the very light arrangement and the ladies’ vocals are just pretty to listen to.  A very fitting way to close the album!

12. Shanghai Romance [Japan Ver.]

As a little extra incentive, the CD only version comes with Shanghai Romance which is a song from Orange Caramel (one of the sub-groups from AFTERSCHOOL).  Featuring only Raina, Nana, and Lizzy in this song you could say it’s the third split song.  Honestly, I’m surprised by this because I love the whole Chinese feel mixed with their K-pop touch.  To be fair it kind of rubs off as parapara for some reason because it just sounds perfect for it.  I kind of love this song for it…it’s cute but fun at the same time…Interesting choice as an extra song but a smart choice too!

Tracks Recommended

• Diva [Japan Ver.]
• Shanghai Romance [Japan Ver.]
• Gimme Love
• Rambling girls
• Rip off

Song of Avoidance

• Just in time

Ahhhh, AFTERSCHOOL’s debut album in Japan is a whole lot better than the last J-pop debut for a K-pop group (U-KISS).  PLAYGIRLZ is definitely an albut that brings some nice color and interesting things for the group.  I will say there was like maybe 2 or 3 songs that I didn’t totally care for but the rest was pretty awesome.  A lot of energy and cute altogether.  I hope they continue to release in Japan because they just know how to do this.

AFTERSCHOOL – Rambling girls/Because of you March 10, 2012

Track Listing

1. Rambling girls
2. Because of you [Japan Ver.]
3. Because of you [Korea Ver.] (CD only)
4. Rambling girls (Instrumental)
5. Because of you [Japan Ver.] (Instrumental)

1. Rambling girls

Wait…is this AFTERSCHOOL I’m hearing?  I didn’t expect this for their first original Japanese song.  I mean the girls sound deeper and almost to the point where it’s sexually charged haha.  I have to say it’s pretty damn awesome to hear the girls this way because they sound good.  Though I do question if the lyricist got bored somewhere along the line because the chorus is really mostly ~la la la la~ and it does kind of get a little annoying after a while…but this is still a pretty awesome song nonetheless.

2. Because of you [Japan Ver.]

The other A-side of the single is actually a Japanese version of their Korean song, “Neo Ttaemune”.  Unlike the energetic vibes of “Rambling girls” this is a lot more lighter and has piano and strings in the arrangement before gaining a solid beat after Kahi’s rapping.  It does go back and forth between the slow side and the heavier beats.  It’s nice but “Diva” and “Rambling girls” is better XD

3. Because of you [Korea Ver.]

The original version also appears and it has the falling rain in the background which isn’t present in the Japanese take.  This one sounds a little more heartfelt since the vocalists are more emotional here.  Add in the growing power in Kahi’s rapping and I felt this was totally different compared.  I did think the auto-tune was a little ehhh and the addition of dance beats to be a little unnecessary (I was fine with this being a real ballad BTW). 

 

 

As the 3rd and last of the “PLAYGIRLZ” era, This double A-sided single wasn’t too bad actually…almost on par with “Diva”.  While I love the hell out of Rambling girls, I can tell it might test some people with that fail of a chorus.  The Japanese version of Because of you is nice but the Korean one still is on top.  Interesting how that turned out but overall a good single!

AFTERSCHOOL – Diva

Track Listing

1. Diva [Japan Ver.]
2. Ready to love
3. Diva [2011 New Korea Ver.] (CD only)
4. Diva [Japan Ver.] (Instrumental)
5. Ready to love (Instrumental)

1. Diva [Japan Ver.]

I find it awesome that their 2nd single was Diva.  Though what I wasn’t expecting was the besides the lyrics being translated into Japanese, the song went under a gloss and came out a LOT MORE STRONGER than the original Korean version.  I couldn’t stand the original very much and felt weak as a promotional track, but this new arranged version is more heavy and synthy but not annoying.  Plus the ~diva-diva-di-di-diva~ parts aren’t sung by the girls but more like heavily filtered.  It’s really cool and made much more of an impression than “Bang!” did.

2. Ready to love

As their second original B-side, Ready to love does seem to chill out from the excitement coming from “Diva”.  It still does have synths but they don’t blaze the song out which is alright.  I will say that I do like the kind of sexual undertones of the song and the vocals, but it’s lacking oomph except in the chorus that was nice.  Hmmm…definitely think it’ll catch on I bet!

3. Diva [2011 New Korea Ver.]

See even the Korean version needed the upgrade it seems.  While I felt the Japanese version felt more fuller and complete with it’s new sound it made the Korean feel just a little unusual but it still works.  Not much else to really say otherwise but this is nice.

 

 

AFTERSCHOOL’s second single for the “PLAYGIRLZ” era is a LOT better of a release than “Bang!” was by far!  The leading song was great and I’m happy it got a new arrangement to avoid using the rather uneventful one of the original which didn’t work as well to the Korean advantage.  Ready to love was also a nice song as well…lighter but not letting up on the synths which was a good sign.  Overall strong single!

AFTERSCHOOL – Bang!

Track Listing

1. Bang! <Japan Ver.>
2. Super sexy
3. Bang! <Korea Ver.> (CD only)
4. Bang! <Japan Ver.> Instrumental
5. Super sexy Instrumental

1. Bang! <Japan Ver.>

While I’m not sure if this is based on the original take or the revisioned version off their “VIRGIN” album, AFTERSCHOOL decided to infiltrate Japan with Bang!.  I definitely remember the marching band-like PV it got and that was pretty cool but without the visuals the song kind of reminds me of “The Boys” with singing in the verses and a more shouting melody for the chorus.  I don’t know who rapped in the song but it was weird…(Kahi?).  I do think it’s the group’s weakest A-side of the era though.

2. Super sexy

If I’m correct, the B-side is an original one.  I also can’t get myself into this song very much because the arrangement is just a little too bare and once again the girls are kind of talking/singing here as well which makes it a little more weaker.  I do think the music is a bit more memorable than Bang!’s but hmmmmmm.

3. Bang! <Korea Ver.>

Of course, like many other K-pop singles, the original version is found on the single as well!  I’m surprised there’s an intro overlayed on the opening of the songs.  Bang! in Korean actually sounds a bit more stronger (which isn’t surprising).  I think the power in the vocals stand out and Kahi (I think) raps a whole lot stronger than she did in the Japanese cut.  This actually isn’t bad now hearing this.

 

 

AFTERSCHOOL debuting with Bang! might have good intentions behind it but it kind of fell flat.  I mean Bang! in Korean isn’t terrible and kind sounds really nice but there’s something in the Japanese version that just didn’t sit real well with me.  Super sexy is alright but nothing to gawk about.  Not a strong debut IMO.