What’s Your One Fine Day Like?

I’d been listening to Yonghwa’s One Fine Day since it was released last month.  I enjoyed the entire album a lot but didn’t think that I’ll be writing about it.  However, as I was listening to the title song One Fine Day while reading and enjoying my coffee this morning, a thought popped into my head.

I wondered what my ‘One Fine Day’ is.  I’ve never really thought about it but Yonghwa’s song prodded me to.  As cheesy as this may sound, one of my fine days is today, a day that I was at peace with myself and the world, a day that I had time to spent on nurturing my soul, a day spent reading, listening to music and sketching.  Come to think of it, happiness and peace can be so simple isn’t it?  A steaming cup of coffee, a good book, time to reflect….

 

For Yonghwa, he writes One Fine Day based on a romantic relationship.  The MV for One Fine Day has beautiful visuals and Yonghwa doing what he does best – which is killing me with his smile and just being him.  It’s a typical story of boy meets girl, boy dates girl, boy and girl broke up and at the end they both found someone new.  The ending is kind of sad but life’s like that isn’t it?  Things don’t always work out the way we want and we don’t know why.  There may always be that one person in our lives that we’ll miss and things that we’ve regretted doing/not doing.  In the end though, there’s always hope.  Life goes on and we can always smile at the happy memories of the past and look forward to make many, many fine days in the future.  Lol, I may have read too much into a 4 minute video, huh?

Anyway, I did a sketch of Yonghwa’s idea of One Fine Day.  What about you?  What’s your fine day like?

Robot : A Wonderful Box of Chocolates

If they say life is like a box of chocolates, then I can also say Robot is the same.  It’s a surprising album with so many different flavours, all of them good.  If I were to liken the three songs in the Robot album into chocolate varieties, here’s what I would choose.

Robot – Dark chocolate with 70% Cacao.  Bittersweet.  Because life’s like that.
With a theme of being controlled, feeling like a Robot and not being able to do what we want most of the time.  Yonghwa says this is not neccessarily CNBLUE’s story, it can be anyone’s story.  Which is true.  All of us are in some ways bound by certain rules to do what we’re currently doing, aren’t we?  Relating this to my own experiences, if I don’t have any ‘rules’ in place, I’d probably have murdered a few idiots that passed through my life, heck care about responsibilites and hightail it to the South of France to sip champagne by now.  Unfortunately (or fortunately), that wasn’t the case.  Reality of life.

Ring – White Chocolate with Cherry Liqueur.  Sweet with a hint of surprise.  Perfect for the holiday season.
As Yonghwa said, very Christmas-sy.  I think of snow and Christmas lights and falling in love.  And he actually put into the lyrics the movie ‘Love Actually’.  One of my favorite feel-good movies of all time.  The song gives me an overall sweet vibe and yet something is different about it.  Don’t think Yonghwa has ever tried this kind of sound before and it comes as a pleasant surprise.  Ever the maverick, I can feel Yonghwa is experimenting again.  Like the chocolate, this is not something I’d pick out for myself but having popped it into my mouth, it gives a wonderful burst of flavour.

Starlit Night – Chocolate Chip Cookie.  With a tall glass of milk.  Basic but oh-so-good.
I’m not calling this a chocolate because there’s nothing fancy about it.  That doesn’t mean that I’m belittling Jonghyun’s songwriting or lyric writing efforts.  On the contrary.  It is my favorite song in the album.  This is very personal and probably has something to do with the phase I’m currently in but I love this song to bits.  The song is simple with quite a basic melody and minimal mix of instruments, just beautiful vocals harmonizing.  So uplifting and filled with so much love between the boys and the fans.  If I were to hear this live in one of their concerts with all four boys singing, I know I’ll cry.  It feels like coming home.

Conversations With Yonghwa #8

Hey Yonghwa-ssi,

Loved the interview you gave on the January 2013 issue of Pati-Pati.  Especially the part where you explained about Robot’s lyrics.  It displayed your maturity and wisdom that is beyond your young age.  I’m happy to read your wise words, that there is a time and place for everything and that you play by the rules.  It strengthened my faith in you, that you know what you’re doing and that you’re never a victim.  Thank you because honestly, the lyrics of Robot had me a little worried at first.  I can rest easy now.   

Just some quick notes on Robot.  I dig the catchy tune and the MV.  The ‘story’ in the MV fits the lyrics well and made sense.  Also, I love that the MV is bright and I could actually see all of your pretty faces clearly unlike your past few Japanese releases where I had to squint.  Loved the lyrics of course, because I remember in a couple of posts back, I actually wished you would write about something other than the ‘hope and dreams’ theme and you fulfilled my wish in Robot!  Dare I think that you actually read my blog and saw the request?  Of course not but I’m happy with the coincidence nonetheless. 

I’m proud of the whole concept, music, lyrics and message behind Robot.  It shows your growth as a musician and I like the direction that it is heading.  All in, I have no complaints about Robot (except what I’ve already pointed out some posts back but that applies to all your work in general and I’m not going to bring it up again here). 

For me, Robot shows that you’ve taken CNBLUE’s music up another notch and I’m anticipating it’s official release in Japan and the general public’s reaction to it. 

That’s all for now.  Keep healthy, stay happy 🙂

Sincerely, b

Music From A Different Perspective

I remarked to a good friend the other day that I’d OD’ed on CNBLUE.  It’s been pretty much CNBLUE for all of 2012 now, starting with their In My Head album to MTV Unplugged, Ear Fun and now, Code Name Blue.  I think I need to listen to some other music to get some fresh perspective.

And so, I went searching in my itunes library and dug up these that I love and bought but never really listened to because they were kept in my iPad which I hardly lug around and I was too lazy to sync the music to my iPhone.  I listen to my music mostly in my old battered car anyways, which requires an actual CD :=)

Listening to these songs made me think of CNBLUE though.  This may be putting a lot of burden on Yonghwa’s young shoulders (and maybe I’m just a very picky fan) but I do wish that he could write songs about social issues, hypocrisy, consumerism or about stuffs that are troubling young people his generation these days.  It’s all well and good to write about love, hope, dreams and ambition but I honestly think we’ve had a lot of those from CNBLUE already.  Now, I would really love to hear what he thinks of and how he views society.  Is it too much of me to ask for those? 

Anyway, here are some of the songs I really like and love the lyrics to.  Hope you’ll enjoy them even though it’s not CNBLUE. 

Conversations With Yonghwa #7

Dear Yonghwa,

I saw CNBLUE’s People Inside interview.  Though I don’t understand what that whole interview was about, I did get to know that you mentioned again about your dream of charting on Billboard. And how Jonghyun said he thought you were joking at first but realized later that you were serious.  For me, I didn’t think you were joking in all those times you mentioned it, but I didn’t think you were serious about it either.  However, I saw your face during People Inside.  You were dead serious.  I realized then that like the rest of CNBLUE, I have to help you too. 

So, how can I help? 

As a fan, I don’t manage you or CNBLUE (though if given the chance, I might do things differently from FnC), I can’t (and won’t) control your creative freedom, I can’t be there to bring you coffee while you compose late into the night as Jungshin does, I can’t do your laundry like Minhyuk or discuss music with you like Jonghyun.  But as a fan, I can help by offering you my honest and sincere feedback. Please read the following with an open mind and know that they are written because I care.

Billboard.  The very word means International.  It means relentless hardwork and tenacity, teamwork, talent and a little bit of luck.  And I think CNBLUE has that down pat.  All four of you are hardworking, move together as a cohesive unit, share a common goal and has what it takes to succeed.  But there is something lacking.  English.  If we’re going to talk Billboard, we’ll need to talk about your English.  It has to improve.

I know you’ve said that you didn’t want anyone fixing your English because you didn’t want to lose the essence of your lyrics to the correction.  Fair enough and I’m good with that.  But please do know that it still needs to be improved and fixed.  If not by someone else, then by you.  I don’t think Billboard will be able to accept the English as it is now.  Some of the lyrics in your songs don’t make sense.  I cite as an example the song ‘Have A Good Night’ from your Code Name Blue album and the line “Yes, it is not paradise in a different things”.  What does that mean?  If you don’t want anyone tampering with your lyrics, you do need to ensure that what you’ve written can stand the test of fans’ comprehension.  Maybe you can engage someone to proof-read and give you suggestions?  And you go back and correct it yourself?

Also, correct me if I’m wrong but I’m getting the vibe that ‘Have A Good Night’ is about your fans enjoying your live concerts.  About you giving your all and about the “Accoustic, Electric guitars, bass and drum and your great cheers, they will make you crazy tonight”.  But you followed that with the line “Expresso double double shots.  I think I will stop to drink”.  Eh?  Are you telling me you’re going to stop and take a sip of coffee in the middle of your concert?  That piece of lyric is quite jarring.  I do get what you mean though.  I think you meant you’re high – not on alcohol but on…caffeine??  During a concert?  I believe the right ‘drug’ in this context should be adrenaline, no? 

There’s also a problem with your English pronunciation.  Sometimes, if I don’t read the lyrics, I can’t make out what you’re singing. Please, if you can, please get an English coach to teach you the pronunciation.  Words like “alcohol”, “anxiety” and “sword” are pronounced wrong.  I did say in my previous post that Yonglish is okay for those who don’t mind.  And those who don’t mind are your fans.  As an avid fan myself, I took the time to check out the official lyrics and words and tried to decipher the meaning.  The sad fact is that non fans would not be so patient and would have bolted at the first sound of ‘strangeness’.  You would have lost a potential fan – and you need all the fans you can get if you intend to get into the Billboard chart.       

I sound very patronizing, don’t I?  You probabaly hate me by now.  I’m very sorry for doing this but I don’t want to become the kind of fan that will lap up everything you do and sing you praises regardless of whether your work is good or bad.  I don’t think blind praises will help you in the long run, especially in your quest for Billboard. 

I can’t speak for your whole legion of fans but I’m writing this in the hopes that you’re aware of what I, as an international fan who listens to a lot of English music, think.  Of course, you can also get into Billboard with a Korean song, it does not neccessarily have to be in English, and in which case you can throw what I’ve written here out the window.  But I’ve seen your penchant for English songs and lyrics and I hope that my suggestions will help, in some small way, in your dream to chart on Billboard in 5 years’ time. 

Till then, I’ll always be supportive of CNBLUE and I look forward to the day you get on Billboard.

With Love, b

P.S.  If you have the stomach for it, I do have something else I’d like to point out regarding your composing.  But maybe in the next post, ya?

[Thoughts] CNBLUE’s Time Is Over

Time Is Over | Music by Jung Yong Hwa and Kosuke Oba | Lyrics by Jung Yong Hwa (Japanese translated lyrics by Kosuke Oba)

I love this song.

At first listen this morning, my ears could only make out the chorus because it stood out the most.  I thought it sounded a lot like the chorus in Where You Are.  I didn’t like this song at first.  Later, I got hold of the lyrics that kind Boices translated and I was very impressed.  Yonghwa’s lyrics have improved yet again.  In my opinion anyway.  I had to listen to the song again, with what I know of the lyrics.

I fell in love with the song at second listen.  All the parts that skimmed over me in my earlier listen became more apparent the second time round.  I like the verses.  It starts without fanfare and it’s very unassuming.  With the translated lyrics, I can now sense the strength and determination in the singing.  (The lyrics I read are not official so will not post them here till confirmed).  I don’t know if it is meant to be a hook but the background refrain of “everyone wish for me now” got me hooked.  I think it’s a strange thing to get hooked on – the fact that it’s a background refrain but I think it made this song special for me.  I can’t get it out of my head.

From what I’ve read and heard of the lyrics, I’m very happy Yonghwa wrote what he did.  About growing stronger, about people trying to tear and hold him down, him shouting to them that he will never break down.  My heart swells with pride.  I like to think that this is Yonghwa’s answer to the people who hurled all those hurtful remarks at CNBLUE when they debuted.  Remarks that, as a rookie band at the time, they couldn’t defend or deflect.  All they could do was to bite their tongue and keep working hard.  I like that at the threshold of their 1st full length Japanese album, and with a full scale Japanese concert tour later in the year, CNBLUE has found their voice and is giving the critics their answer at last.

To me, this song doesn’t sound jrock or krock.  It sounds American rock.  Of course, the way the MV is made did help to give that impression.  No complaints about the singing, of course, and Yonghwa’s and Jonghyun’s voices always go well together.

In terms of the MV, I’m not a fan of any of their Japanese MVs.  It’s usually dimly shot and I don’t get to see the boys’ faces enough.  Having said that, I do like that roadtrip vibe it’s giving out.  Like they are going places.  Quite apt I think, but not quite enough since there are also too many shots of them holed up in a room.  Again, not complaining (not really, lol) because I’m completely bowled over by this wonderful song.  Nothing else matters and I’m one very pleased and happy fan.

Note : Time Is Over is the title song for CNBLUE’s 1st full length Japanese album, Code Name Blue.  Will post link to MV as soon as the official version is up.

[Thoughts] CNBLUE’s Love Light

Had time on my hands this morning and sitting here staring at my laptop.  Suddenly, Love Light came on through my earphones.  It brought an instant smile to my face and with it, the memories I have for this song.

Love Light is the CNBLUE song that made me love them – particularly Yonghwa.  At the time, I’d already heard Loner (who hasn’t?) and liked it very much for it’s catchy melody but it was just another catchy kpop song to me (it is different and catchier and nicer than normal but still kpop-y, nonetheless).  But next to this Loner video was Love Light.  I clicked on it and this beautiful voice came out, followed by a light, refreshing melody that is so different from what I’ve heard in all my forays in kpopdom.  I remember thinking to myself, “Is this CNBLUE?” because after Loner, I cannot imagine that this group will sing something like that.  Because I liked the song so much, naturally, I had to find out more.  To be honest, I was trying to find out who was the original singer of Love Light!!  (Don’t shoot me, I didn’t know any better then!!!)

What I found out after all the googling I did and all the different sites and blogs I went to, all states that Love Light IS a CNBLUE original – the boys were not covering someone else’s song.  What made my jaw dropped though, was the discovery that Love Light was written by CNBLUE’s leader, Jung Yonghwa.  What??!!  Really?  This amazing song from a group that just debuted and from a boy barely 22 years old?  Really??  My respect for Yonghwa started to grow from that point on.

I went back and listened to Love Light again and again.  I couldn’t distinguish the voices of Jonghyun and Yonghwa at first.  I thought it was one person singing but I didn’t know enough about CNBLUE to know who was it that sang.  I think it goes to show how well Yonghwa’s and Jonghyun’s voices blend together because to a non-fan like me then, I couldn’t tell their voices apart.  Other fans may likely disagree with me on this, and maybe I have lousy hearing but it was one beautiful and seamless voice to me.

Loner made me notice CNBLUE but Love Light made me a fan. I became a CNBLUE and a Yonghwa biased fan after Love Light and I’ve not looked back since 🙂

Here’s the exact video I listened to back then.  Can’t believe it’s still around.  Psst…I would recommend ignoring the comments on the YT vid – not because I’m being a troll but because I want this song to get the proper recognition it deserves – musically.

Love Light | Music by Jung Yonghwa | Lyrics by Jung Yonghwa | Performed by CNBLUE

Video credit : mrsjokwon @ youtube

[Thoughts] CNBLUE’s Come On

When I first heard CNBLUE’s Come On teaser a few days back, I remember tweeting that I could be wrong but that I think they’re on the brink of greatness.  After I wrote that, I thought to myself if I’d heaped too high an accolade on such a young band, based on just a 30 second excerpt of the song.

When I finally heard (and saw) the full PV earlier today, I think I am convinced now that I just might be right.

I wish I have the right engines in my brain to be able to give a more polished and sophisticated ‘review’ of this song but unfortunately, I don’t.  All I can say is that I love every single bit of the song – from the heavy instrumental intro (especially the guitar at the 0:20 mark), Yonghwa/Jonghyun voices and Minhyuk’s drum beats to the lyrics in Japanese and Eng(Yong)lish.  I feel that CNBLUE’s music has gone another notch higher.

We don’t have the official lyrics to Come On yet but from what I’ve read from various tweets and blog posts of kind Boices (and what I could make out in English by listening to the song), I’m quite impressed by Yonghwa’s use of metaphors here as opposed to the simpler English of his earlier works.  To me, the lyrics sound like it’s a beckoning of their hopes and dreams as a band and to achieve it together as one?

Come On as a song, did strange things to me – it’s the first time a rock song moved me.  Usually rocks songs inspire, motivate or empower but what CNBLUE did with Come On was amazing.  Hearing the intro itself gave me goosebumps.  I’ll admit that it’s weird to be feeling this way while listening to a rock song but I think it wasn’t just the music or the singing or the lyrics that did it.  It was probably hearing them play at this level, knowing how far they’ve come and how hard they’ve worked to get here that moved me.  I like rock and the bands I follow – Linkin Park, Green Day, Bon Jovi and Queen (a long time ago) – are all pretty much established by the time I discovered them.  I didn’t know there can be so much joy (and heartache) following a fresh young band.  But the joy far outweighs the pain, so definitely no regrets on this.  Sorry, I think I digressed.  Anyway….

Good job and congratulations to Jonghyun and Yonghwa on their first ever song/lyric writing collaboration.  If this is the result of their first brainchild, I can’t wait to hear their future collaborations.

On a superficial side – how is it that even the boys’ silhouettes look so freaking good?  In some scenes, they look like an Andy Warhol pop art!

The Thing About Y, Why…

I’m going to be honest.  As much as I love Yonghwa,  I didn’t like Y, Why – not the original version, nor the updated Bluestorm version.  BUT….I love this version. 

I love the simplicity of it.  With just the guitar and a beautiful voice, this song took my breath away.  As I was listening to it, I had a tingling sensation down the back of my neck.  I don’t know music enough to talk knowlegeably about it but I know that everytime a piece of music touched me, I’ll get this same heart-thumping, tingling sensation.  Cheesy as this sounds, I think the heart feels even if the mind can’t comprehend?  Anyway, I’m now a fan of this song.

On a side note, I think I need to listen to their whole unplugged album without the visuals.  Their dashing good looks are too distracting and I want to be able to give their music it’s proper attention.  Can’t wait for my CD to arrive, which should be anyday now.

The video above credit to Cnblue4brothers @ YT.

Your Whisper, So Clear

Beautiful song, beautiful MV, beautiful intentions. 

Fool | Music by Jung Yong Hwa | Performed by Juniel & Jung Yong Hwa

They are singing about love but I’m seeing an older brother/younger sister relationship on screen. Still, it doesn’t matter for I love this song for its simplicity and the feelings of peace and harmony that it invoked in me. Just watching and listening to it made me relaxed, like I was on that roadtrip myself. 

This. This was something I wished I’d been able to do with my partner but never got the chance. Just seeing this gave me bittersweet memories of young love.

Congratulations to Juniel on your long awaited debut in Korea.  Can’t wait to hear “Illa Illa” and watch the MV which is starring yet another CNBLUE boy.  By the looks of it, it’s going to be just as sweet as this one.

This post title may seem random and bizzare to some but it makes perfect sense to me.