TUNE OF THE WEEK: TAEMIN’s “Criminal”

Earlier this week, Taemin made his comeback with the release of his third solo album and wouldn’t you know it, the title track is so freaking fantastic, it has inspired me to crawl out of my pandemic-y hole of solitude long enough to share my squeals of delight with the world. (With a mask on, of course.)

It comes as no surprise that “Criminal” meets every single one of my expectations for solo track from SHINEE’s maknae. The combination of Taemin’s sultry, yet slightly haunting vocals, mixed with that slightly dark, yet still somehow poppy beat that makes you want to move your feet, is exactly what I love about Taemin’s music. It’s a brilliant combination of light and dark, emotional pop, that makes my little fangirl heart so happy! And I haven’t even started talking about the MV yet!

To say I love this music video feels like such an understatement. The concept is as strong as any other Taemin comeback. The visuals are gorgeous on every level and I love that there’s this not-so-hidden feel of sinister intent that’s been glossed over by that beautiful K-Pop shine. In short, it’s the perfect concept for this time of year, when the bright neon obnoxiousness of summer gives way to the more muted and somewhat spooky tones of autumn.

Of course, as much as I love the concept of the video, it’s the choreography that has really moved me. As always, I’m mesmerized by the fluidity of Taemin’s choreo. I find myself perpetually in awe of the way this man moves. It is art in motion and I cannot even begin to express the feelings that this beauty invokes. It really is nothing short of perfection and all I can say is, well done, my dude. Well done indeed!

Honestly, the same could be said for the entirety of Taemin’s third album. I’ve been listening to “Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1” on repeat this week and I can’t get over how much I love it. The vibe of the entire album is so very, very Taemin, which might seem like a dumb thing to say but hear me out. Every once in a while, an artist will try branching out into new sounds. Sometimes it works, other times, not so much. It makes me happy that Taemin has found a sound that works for him and is sticking with it. Because this sound really, REALLY, works for him.

As far as tracks go, I found the collaboration with Kid milli on “Black Rose” to be an unexpected and rather fabulous treat. But it’s “2 KIDS” that really stands out to me. I think it’s because the lyrics just hit on a much more personal note than most. To be honest, it’s a bit of an unexpected surprise, which might be why I like it so much.

If you’re looking for a new album to add to your K-Pop collection, I would highly recommend Taemin’s third solo offering. I might even go so far as to promise that it won’t disappoint. But maybe that’s just my inner fangirl talking…

TUESDAY’S TEASE: BOYFRIEND “Never End”

Okay, so I know it’s been about a zillion years since I last wrote one of these “Tease” posts. What can I say, I suck. Well, actually it’s more like summer is just super full of kids and cross-country trips and all sorts of other adventures and writing just kind of gets pushed aside because when you live in the frozen North, you kinda gotta make the most of your warm sunny days while they last! But that’s not really why I’m sat down at my computer today. I’m sitting here because Boyfriend is FINALLY making a comeback (in Korea, no less) and I’m so flipping excited about it I just couldn’t stop squealing! (For some odd reason, my kids just don’t get as excited over comebacks as I do… Weird.) Continue reading “TUESDAY’S TEASE: BOYFRIEND “Never End””

ASTRO’s Back With “Baby” And I Can’t Stop Smiling!

I know it’s a holiday weekend, here in the States, so writing this puts me in danger of getting griped at by certain family members but sometimes you just gotta let the fangirl out regardless and this is certainly one of those times! I mean it’s not every day you get a new ASTRO MV so full of cuteness and sunshine you feel like all of life’s problems have simply melted away! I couldn’t help but squeal just a little! Continue reading “ASTRO’s Back With “Baby” And I Can’t Stop Smiling!”

K-POP ONE-STOP: April 29 – May 19, 2017

Okay, so I may have dropped the ball on this month’s weekly playlist but life just got a little too life-y these past few weeks and it’s been really hard to keep up with everything. Still, I’m doing my best to get caught up on things which is why I have not 1, not 2 but 3 different playlists for your listening enjoyment. Woot! Continue reading “K-POP ONE-STOP: April 29 – May 19, 2017”

Tuesday’s Tease (on a Wednesday): iKON, ASTRO and One Very Dead Zombie

I know I’m a day late with this week’s “Tease” (Blame it on a super-ridiculously-busy week and a sudden urge to completely transform my backyard…) but I’m hoping I’ll be able to make things up to you with some pretty darn amazing teasers. (Well, I think they’re amazing anyway so I’m hoping you do too.) *fingers crossed* Continue reading “Tuesday’s Tease (on a Wednesday): iKON, ASTRO and One Very Dead Zombie”

TUESDAY’S TEASE aka Proof VIXX Has Broken My Brain

It seems rather fitting that VIXX waited until after I’d posted last week’s “Tease” to begin teasing for the release of their upcoming mini album. It’s like they knew the release of their first set of photos would nearly kill me, so they decided they’d be nice and let me have one last squee over other groups before they completely took over my brain. Wasn’t that nice of them? Continue reading “TUESDAY’S TEASE aka Proof VIXX Has Broken My Brain”

TUESDAY’S TEASE: DAY6, IMFACT and Dramas Too!

I know it’s only Tuesday but already I’m dying over this week’s comebacks. WINNER’s new songs have absolutely slain me so it’s a bit difficult to focus on, well… pretty much anything. I’m kinda hung up on Seung Yoon’s hair perfection at the moment (among other things) but, I think I can still manage to pull my thoughts together enough to squeal over the comebacks that have yet to become my new obsession. (Hey, I’m just being honest here!) Continue reading “TUESDAY’S TEASE: DAY6, IMFACT and Dramas Too!”

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