Idol College - Shoujo Sotsugyou / YOZORA

I'm trying out another new artist today! Actually, I like these short reviews a little better than the long ones. I'd rather share more songs than share more of my own opinion. That's the reason why I started blogging -- to share what I love with other people!

So today I listened to a group called Idol College. Oh how I loathe group names with the word "idol" in them. It's so unoriginal. Apparently the group started out under the name B.L.T. Idol College (now I want a sandwich...), but they switched out all their members and became simply Idol College. Shoujo Sotsugyou / YOZORA is their second single since the group change.

The first track on the single is "Shoujo Sotsugyou". I love this song so much! It's incredibly catchy and fun, and I'm pretty sure you can never go wrong with a little electric guitar. The echo effect when they sing the title words is so cool and infectious! I definitely wouldn't say it's anything to make them stand out above other idol groups, but it's still a very strong single, and the girls are really cute.

There's not much to the video except a few short scenes and an adorable dance shot, but I really recommend watching it if you want a happy, catchy song to listen to.



The second song is YOZORA. Do I have to review this? I have no idea why this is even an A-side. It's such a boring song. It's like there's no climax; the song is always at the same spot, it's almost monotone. It's like a boring anime theme. Actually, now that I think about it, it probably would fit an anime well. But as a regular single, it's just not up to par.

The name of the song means "night sky", so of course we get a rooftop dance shot. It's weird though because it keeps alternating between sunset and pure night. And the dancing is just so awkward. The video also has random drama scenes that I can't seem to understand (I've never been good with drama scenes anyway; I always have to get someone to tell me what's happening).

So in summary, let's just say… this was the first of the two videos that I saw, and it almost made me never want to watch another Idol College video again. I know it's harsh, and like I say with all other songs I dislike, maybe it'll grow on me. But unless it appears in an anime, I'm really not interested.

To be honest, I think I actually would've liked it if it had been a B-side.

Another Ballad? - Kono Machi MV

This is a really awesome title card!

C-ute has officially released the music video for their new single "Kono Machi"! And I'm finally back from being ill and having loads of school to do! You know what that means? It's review time!

After Kimi wa Jitensha's huge success last year, it seems that they have decided to see if releasing a ballad will work a second time. I have no idea how well this will sell, but at least it's a decent song choice (originally by Moritaka Chisato). In fact, as I'm writing this I'm singing the song in my head. It's such a lovely melody that I can't help but to love it!

Now let's get to the music video, shall we?

This music video is very simple. It starts out with close-ups, which are actually really close-up! I somewhat have a hatred for those types of close-ups, where all you can see is their face. However, since C-ute is basically the prettiest group in Hello! Project, I think it's okay. :)

Airi's earrings are adorable; I want them!

A few shots of the town are shown, and soon the members are singing in front of them. It's pretty cheap (why couldn't they film on location like they did in Kimi wa Jitensha?), but I actually love the tiled effect on the image; at least it's unique! Each member has a different part of town that they sing in front of (and fake like their walking through).

That must be the train they catch to get home! *chuckles*

This was totally just an excuse to add another Airi picture.

Beautiful use of split screen here!

Besides these scenes, the only thing left in the video is a scene of them in the grey room sitting on boxes. I appreciate this scene because of the fact that a similar scene was taken out of a certain music video... Wakuteka Take a chance

How are you all so pretty???

Because this is yet another ballad, it's hard for me to do anything but compare it to the one from last year. I normally don't like to compare things, but it's impossible not to in this case.

I like the song much better. In fact, I didn't even like Kimi wa Jitensha when it first came out. I thought it was much too overdramatic and it just didn't fit my taste. This song, however, is more sentimental and lovely. It's easier to listen to and sing or just hum along with. The use of monologues was cute as well. Even though it's not their most spectacular single yet, it left a good impression from the moment I first heard it.

I love the outfits for the video as well. Last year's singles had rather boring costumes, but these are just so cute! The necklaces are beautiful, the skirts are adorable, and the shape is very flattering on all of them, especially Mai! Their hair is done simply but beautifully, and I really don't have any complaints for the entire ensemble.

So there you have it: a simple video for a simple song. Is it enough? I think so, and I'm glad it differs from their last ballad, but maybe to some it is too boring. Be sure to watch the video and let me know what you think!

Happy 2013!

I'm sorry I'm a little late, but I hope everyone has a great 2013! My personal goal is to not waste as much time. I want to make my year worthwhile. Do you have any goals or resolutions this year?

This is a rather short post but I just wanted to update you all. I have been very sick for the past week, and while I probably could blog more, I just really don't feel like it. Whenever I'm sick, using my brain just makes it worse. I really wanted to review Girls' Generation's "I Got a Boy", too. :( Well, I guess I don't really need to, because I can just sum up my opinion in two words: it sucks.

Anyway, I probably won't blog again until I'm fully recovered. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience!

Let's hope 2013 brings us lots of good music and other fun things, okay?

Love you all!

- Shayna :)

Morning Musume Needs Your Help!! - "Help me!!" Dance Shot

Morning Musume has released the dance shot for their upcoming single "Help me!!", the debut of the 11th Generation.

This song combines the new electronic dance sound of Morning Musume with the more familiar sound that Hello! Project fans might recognize from album songs. Similar to their previous two singles, they have decided to release the dance shot before the regular music video. Personally I don't think this is a good idea as it tends to lower the views that the regular MV gets, but I'm sure many fans are happy to have a sneak peek. With Morning Musume having a stronger focus on choreography lately, releasing the dance shot is a good way to get fans excited.

While the choreography isn't as strong as something you'd see from a group like Fairies, it is pretty impressive as it's very eye-catching and makes you want to pay close attention to every move. The fast movements in the intro invite you to dance along, and the unique formations allow you to focus on all the members. Following the intro, the girls move low to the ground, which combined with the quiet vocals gives a bit of a sneaky and mysterious feel. Near the chorus, we get to see our new member, Oda Sakura, shine with great vocals and all the members dancing around her.

What really makes this dance shot is the backgrounds in the city. Though it starts out dark, with only the enormous moon lighting the area, the lights all burst out in neon colors to give an energetic start to the chorus.

The outfits are quite interesting as well. Leopard print on top of hot pink tutus, and every member has a unique hair piece, with Kudo Haruka's sideways cap probably being the most memorable.

The only thing I don't like about this dance shot is that it's clearly edited, and the random "jump" in footage can get pretty annoying. Of course, this is a minor complaint when you're enjoying everything the video has to offer.

Fans can only hope that this will not be another let-down like the overly-sparkly "One Two Three" or the finished "Wakuteka Take a chance" that was worse than the temporary version (which is exactly why I didn't review it). But if my observations are correct, I think we'll be getting a more fair line distribution and screen time in the future. 2013 will definitely be an interesting year for Morning Musume!

Girls' Generation Goes Back in Time...5 Years

Girls' Generation, my second Kpop group, will always hold a special place in my heart because of their song "Gee". That song just wouldn't stop showing up in my recommended videos on YouTube, and that's why I'm a Kpop fan today.

Well, get ready for a bit of nostalgia, as they take us back in time a full five years in their newest video, "Dancing Queen".

Honestly, I thought when they pulled out that time machine they would go back to like the 80's. Not that you could blame me, since I actually was pretty convinced it would be a cover of the ABBA song (technically from the 70's). Well, I was partially right, because it was a cover. A cover of... Duffy's "Mercy"? ...what?

This is the last song I would ever imagine Girls' Generation covering. The vocals are great, but it's just not the same.

According to some comments, this was actually filmed back in 2008, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was. If it wasn't, then whoever did their hair/makeup is pretty talented.

The whole video is reminiscent of "Gee", especially with the dance scenes with the jeans, white t-shirts, and white background. The café scenes remind me more of the Japanese version.

At the end of the video, they transport back to the future/present (2013) and reveal their outfits for their upcoming single "I Got a Boy". Personally, I think these outfits are quite ugly and overly complicated. What happened to Girls' Generation, anyway? They're definitely not the same girls as the ones who sang "Into the New World". It's not that I hate the new GG, I just liked them best before last year.

Back to "Dancing Queen", there's not much to say about this song since it's a cover, and the video looks exactly like something we would've seen in 2008. But hey, I'm not complaining. At least we got a Korean song in 2012!

"Orion" (KARA) Review

It's been a while since I have done a review, so let's do a review for a new music video! Due to some issues I've been having with YouTube, you'll have to excuse the fact that there are no screen shots.

Today KARA released their PV for the B-side of their latest single "Electric Boy" (another song I was going to review but never got around to it). Of course when I saw a screenshot for the PV, I assumed "Oh, this will just be another incredibly boring sad song music video." And in a way, it does have a few of the ingredients for a mundane, forgettable video: sitting around, looking sad (yet pretty at the same time), slow motion "acting" scenes; and yet, I found this video totally captivating.

The song is a bit typical, but I'm sure after a few listens it will grow on me. In fact, it was actually a bit hard to pay attention to the song because I was distracted by the sheer beauty of the video:

In the first half of the video, KARA keeps it basic with beige and white filling the room. This simple beauty actually interests me, as I wonder how it will be used in the video. I think simplicity often allows you to pay attention to the intention behind the song and video, and really become absorbed in the story.

If I understand the lyrics correctly, the girl in the song is missing someone, wanting to tell him she loves him. As Hara peeks through the telescope, she sees the constellation Orion, hoping that he'll see it, too. (Okay, well she probably can't actually see anything since there's light coming through the window, but you get the point.)

I love their outfits in these scenes, with the beige and pink looking lovely and calming together. But the real beauty is in the next scene, in a white and silver sort of winter wonderland where they wear gorgeous long gowns: some sparkly, some frilly, all totally regal. The best of all is Gyuri's dark blue dress. I mean, it's just absolutely perfect, from head to toe.

Somehow, KARA always manages to look perfect in all of their videos. Hair, make-up, outfits; everything is flawless, and I think this visual appeal is really what captivates me in videos like this. Very simple, yet elegant at the same time.

The only part of the video I didn't care for is the crying at the end of the video. I don't care how heart-wrenching the song is, I just can't stand to see people cry in videos. (There are a few exceptions, but not many, I think.)

Of course I didn't expect this to be a monumental video, as it's just for a B-side, but I think that they did a good job with it; I don't feel like it was time wasted for a pointless PV, you know?

I hope you enjoyed my review! I'll continue to work to improve my writing skills, and I hope you continue reading!

Wakuteka Take a chance (Temporary ver.) Review

To start off this post, I would just like to make it clear how ugly blogger's new layout is. I'm sure I'll get used to it, but it sucks when they don't give you a choice...

So, now it's time for my first full review (on this blog)! Huzzah!

WAKUTEKA TAKE A CHAAAAAANCE! (temporary ver.)



I've been watching the dance practice for this video almost every day lately, and have been anxiously awaiting the video. You have no idea how happy I was to see it! But then I was a little ticked off to see the word "仮" (temporary) on there (I only know what it means because of Up Up Girls, lol). But I suppose it's better than nothing, so I'll take it. (and then I was irritated that I couldn't get it to load on YouTube, and still can't, so I have to watch it embedded on H!P Wiki...)

I'm going to try to do this piece by piece so I don't lose what I'm about to say, because I have a lot to say about this!



I gasped when I saw these electric bed thingies. They're so epic looking!



Oh crud, it's return of the sparklies! They're so bright... so beautiful... so distracting.... oh, wait, I'm supposed to be watching a music video? I thought that was just a background for the cheap effects...

Seriously, though, whoever edited these -- cut it out. It's annoying. It's fake and distracts from the video itself.



I really love these light bars. For some reason I thought there was a name for them, and then I just ended up calling them fluorescent light bulbs. XD

The effect on these scenes are cool, too. It makes it darker so it contrasts from the light, and it gives off this cool, haunting, out-of-this-world kind of look.

Am I the only one who thinks Momusu is supposed to be aliens in this video? There's a picture in the background of earth (from space), and there's another one on the side that I think looks like a galaxy, and maybe on that looks like a UFO. So maybe they're aliens and that's where they abduct the humans and do those weird experiments or whatever those crazy people say they do. :D Or maybe it's the other way around and some humans found them and that's why they're behind those bars. Hmm...

No, no, wait... the other girls all trapped Ayumi in the cell because they're jealous of her dancing skills and won't let her in the dance shot. XD (jk, she's injured...)

Or maybe this video just has no plot whatsoever and just looks cool.



What the... SHE'S ON FIRE! How the heck did that happen?



Mizuki is considerably less boring in this video. Just look at that smile!



I really love the angles they do in this scene. It's so epic!

Other thoughts:

Sayu looked really pretty in this video. I couldn't get a good screenshot, but if you just watch the video you'll see.

I kind of hate and love Haruna's hairstyle at the same time. It looks a lot better than what she had in One Two Three, but her hair is just so much prettier when it's down...

I looooove the feathery black things they have on their costumes; it's so cute!

I love how the video kind of has a more mature feel to it, but some members (especially Masaki) keep it youthful as well. That's the variety I love about Morning Musume!

Obviously I love the song and the dance; pretty much every day I'll start doing the dance in the middle of the house, but of course I look ridiculous doing it. :D But they do it perfectly, and I love the "shake it up" move.

I liked that during the part where the members all get solo lines, they showed close-ups of all of them, instead of switching to a random scene during the least-liked members' parts. Though I wished they could have shown the dance shot at that part, too, but there would be a gap without Ayumi so it wouldn't work.

The last part of the dance where they turn their heads quickly... I feel like that's a key part of the dance, and I feel like the MV didn't show that. If I was editing it, I would have quickly cut to a close-up of Riho as they turned, then switched to black. Maybe I'm just being picky, but I always think of how I would've done it when I'm reviewing videos.

I think that's most of what I have to say. Overall I'd say I like the video, but if this is just the temporary version, then I cannot wait to see the real one!

Peace! <3