Idk if anyone's posted this yet:
Nothing New With “Mr. Chuâ€WRITTEN BY LO ON APRIL 3, 2014
Rejoice, Pink Pandas, for A Pink has made a return after 9 months. Their EP Pink Blossom has just been released with the title trackâ€Mr. Chuâ€, and it’s… very A Pink. It’s not a carbon copy of their previous songs, but it’s not anything really new, either.
“Mr. Chu†is a typical girl group MV, albeit a very well-produced one. The execution is top-notch, and that really makes a difference. A Pink releasing another MV so similar to their previous hits like “
†and “
.†The ladies of A Pink have all fallen in love with a fellow student who plays tennis. We get to see the various members watching him play, putting love notes and gifts into his locker, and despairing over how many other girls have done the same. They also dance on the tennis courts, and it occurs to me that A Pink will succeed in attracting his attention, it’s probably not going to be in a positive way.
The plot of the MV might be standard fare, but the production work is glorious. The camerawork in particular stands out as being far above par. Multiple camera angles are utilized, one great standout being Chorong and Namjoo on the tennis courts. Another plus is that the camera work during the dance sequences is more like a live stage then an MV, in the sense that it shifts to show off the dance from a variety of angles rather than being a simple “point and shoot†job. Overall they cinematography has a very fresh, clean feel that matches the song and A Pinks’ image very well. They also had the guy in question actually appear in the video! Admittedly, it was for three seconds with his back turned, but hey, points anyway.
The other really great thing about this MV is that it really feels like it’s about A Pink as a whole. The members all get fairly equal screen time and lines. Honestly, the fact that members other then Eunji get a decent amount of lines is one the reasons A Pink stands out- they have a powerhouse, but everyone is allowed to shine. In fact, Eunji is the only member who could be counted as getting shorted on screentime.
All the ladies look fabulous in every shot, from the schoolgirl outfits to the tennis uniforms to the slightly hideous floral dresses and more importantly, unique. No mixing up Namjoo and Naeun this time! Out of them, all though, Bomi really stood out; she was absolutely stunning.
While the MV might be a cut above the rest, “Mr. Chu†is the same old song and dance- literally. The dance has more than a bit of a â€NoNoNo†vibe, just facing forwards this time. In both music and lyrics, Mr. Chu feels like a repeat of A Pinks earlier hits- bubblegum pop with strong vocals about falling in love for the first time with a repetitive chorus. It’s not a bad song by any means, but neither is it spectacular. “Mr Chu†is just a decent love song, nothing more.
It’s so frustrating that such talented ladies never get a chance to stretch their wings. It is possible for a group with a young, fresh image to sing about something other than a first love. Friendship, the joy of being alive, self-confidence despite not being ‘perfect’, these are all things that A Pink could handle very well without giving up their image. Seriously, it’s at the point where a breakup ballad as the title track would be a welcome and refreshing change.
Your thoughts? Are A Pink sticking to what’s working, or do they need a change of pace?
Song: 2.5/5
MV: 3.5/5
Side B: A Pink Pop With SweetnessWRITTEN BY WILLIS ON APRIL 5, 2014
A Pink, a group known for their old school bubblegum pop sound and cute image, recently staged a comeback with their 4th mini album Pink Blossom. Their distinctive use of bubblegum pop is noticeable throughout their discography, but there are quite a few tracks that add a new spin on their wistful formula. Their later albums especially hint that A Pink may be heading towards a more nuanced, contemporary pop sound. Even if their concepts revolve around the pure and innocent image, their throwback aegyo image makes them novel among their contemporaries.
In addition to their unique musical style, A Pink benefits from their stellar lead vocalist, Eunji. At times, the overused high note can come off trite, but when given the right song and moment, her voice soars sweetly. The other vocalists in the group Bomi, Naeun, Chorong, Hayoung and Namjoo have steady voices and contribute to melodic harmonies. There are noticeable producers present in much of A Pink’s earlier works. Shinsadong Tiger and Super Changddai helm a good portion of the tracks, helping to develop the distinct color of A Pink’s sound.
A Pink’s debut EP Seven Springs of A Pink featured a slew of catchy pop songs. “Boo†stood out for its synth-heavy production. The song has an extremely bubblegum chorus but is able to create a more modern K-pop sensibility with the use of audio technology. The autotune and rapping section from Chorong and Namjoo allow “Boo†to display a good sense of rhythm. The lyrics express the charming desires and thoughts directed towards their love interest. It is all a bit sweet but the production helps to keep it from being too saccharine.
Sometimes, the production of A Pink’s songs can be polarizing. This is the case with “Yeah.†The song produced by Shinsadong Tiger and Choi Kyu-sung feature the girls singing in hyper speed. The BPM is no joke. At times, the vocals approach a chipmunk-like tone. Even though the song is a sugar rush, I find the tempo of the track and feeling of the song thrilling if not exhausting by the song’s end.
“Cat†is an absolute gem in A Pink’s discography. The words are in line with A Pink’s lyrical history, but they stand out for utilizing a feline metaphor. Their curiosity and wide eyed bewilderment is expressed through the context of the anthropomorphic cat. The jazzy piano melody adds to the character of the song. It is charming, aloof and overall a great song from the group.
Even though a good portion of A Pink’s songs feature lyrics expressing their feelings for a love interest, “Up in the Sky†(featuring Junhyung from Beast) does not. The lyrics look to inspire positivity in reaching for one’s dreams. All in all, their first full album Une Annee was truly an avenue for A Pink to showcase that they were more than a bubblegum novelty act. The album featured degrees of variety with songs like “Cat,†and this song showed more adventurous lyrical content.
Before their Secret Garden promotions, A Pink lost a member, Yookyung,. After their first album found moderate success, this mini-album solidified A Pink as a top girl group in K-pop — it has been their most commercially success release to date. While “Lovely Day†doesn’t deviate from the lyrical commonality in their prior tracks, the instrumental helps to highlight the girls’ crisp vocals. The use of instruments, like the piano, helps to give the song a fresh and organic atmosphere. The vocals are expressive and the song emits warmth.
Finally, I want to highlight a track that embodies the essence of A Pink. “I Need You†is a bubblegum mid-tempo track that is also grounded with its use of guitar and stringed instruments. While the production on some of their older songs occasionally overtakes the vocals, the girls all sound great on this lighter track. Eunji’s stellar vocal delivery and full tone is on display here.
While other girl groups have been transitioning to a sexy concept, A Pink have made a name for themselves with their consistently cute image. They have a vice grip on the aegyo corner of the market, and their b-sides have only served to further that depiction of them. Their earlier releases were especially distinctive because of the unique nostalgic use of bubblegum pop. Since then, they have slowly grown to take on more nuanced productions. Hopefully, as they continue to grow, they will find more ways to take chances even if they are kept within the confines of their concept.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition. Check out our other Side B features and let us know who you’d like to read about!
A Pink Bloom With “Pink Blossomâ€WRITTEN BY LAURA ON APRIL 6, 2014
After three months of aggressively sexy concepts and mediocre comebacks by some of the bigger players in the genre, it is finally time for A Pink to start their promotions for the year 2014. About nine months after their last release Secret Garden, the group has come back with another mini album entitled Pink Blossom.
The poster and CD packaging confirmprevious speculations that A Pink would return with a slightly more grown-up image. In the new pictures, the girls can be seen wearing darker colors (an absolute taboo with the previous saccharine image) and giving the camera much less playful looks then they used to do before.
Concerning their album and their further promotions, the interesting question for fans is: Can this new “maturity†also be seen in the group’s songs? Let’s take a listen!
The mini starts off with “Sunday Mondayâ€, a song directed at a current lover; telling them how much they are loved and how the speaker wants to spend every day with them. With regards to the album structure, A Pink do something here which they’ve only done on one other album (Snow Pink, 2011) so far — they begin their mini album with a relaxed rather than an energetic song.
In the beginning of “Sunday Mondayâ€, the listener mostly hears rhythmic guitar strumming. Then, around the onset of the chorus, a seemingly very typical orchestration with a main focus on the violins begins to play in the background. The song is a rather mellow introduction to the mini album, setting the scene for the next number, A Pink’s single.
“Mr. Chu†and it’s various variations, in total three of seven songs, is supposed to be the main star ofPink Blossom. In this song, A Pink sing about young love, the excitement this entails, and the wish for it to always stay that way:
“Listen to my wish, I hope an eternal love will come true
I hope this electrifying feeling never changes
Always look at only me babyâ€
The first version, and the song immediately following “Sunday Mondayâ€, is “Mr. Chu (On Stage)â€. This position makes sense, since this is the calmer version of the two. The members’ singing is accompanied by a finger-snapping sound which seems to underline the closeness to an acoustic version this song was certainly going for. Apart from that, there is, for lack of a better word, a constant electronic whistling sound in the background which is very reminiscent of older pop music. This version once again shows why A Pink are often likened to the early Girls Generation or even older groups likeS.E.S.
The normal version of the song can be found at the very end of the mini album, only followed by the instrumental version of
. The normal version sounds a bit less electronic but has a lot more oomph, possibly due to the utilization of an electric guitar during the chorus.
The third song on Pink Blossom is “Crystalâ€. Sadly this is not an ode to the f(x) member of a similar name, but another love song praising the person who continuously shines on and supports the speaker. With it’s extremely repetitive lyrics and a melody which the listener has heard a thousand times already, “Crystal†is disappointingly forgettable. Which is why we won’t dwell on it any further.
Instead, let’s talk about “사랑ë™í™”â€/â€Fairytale Loveâ€. This constitutes the first full-blown ballad on the album, and “Fairytale Love†is prime drama soundtrack material at that. The lyrics talk about a typical case of expectations vs. reality: The speaker imagines love to be as magical and larger-than-life as it is in fairy tales and therefore only complains throughout their whole relationship. Now, after having lost their lover, they realize what a fool they were and wish they could get their lover back.
The song does a good job at showcasing the stronger voices in A Pink while once again relying on a soft guitar and a melancholic violin sound. Being placed at the center of the Pink Blossom tracks, “Fairytale Love†is definitely a highlight of the mini album.
Continuing in a similar fashion, the following song“So Long†also deals with lost love. In this case, the speaker was too shy to confess to their childhood friend at a young age and still regrets that decision. In contrast to the previous song, “So Long†could be classified as a pop-ballad because of its more pronounced and slightly faster rhythm. There is also a more prominent use of the piano, but “Fairytale Love†and “So Long†are essentially very similar songs. The listeners have to decide for themselves whether they appreciate the placement of these two songs right next to each other or not.
Overall, Pink Blossom gets a 3 out of 5. A forgettable filler track like “Crystal†is balanced out by the greatness of “Fairytale Loveâ€, and the rest are pretty much typical A Pink songs with a slight tilt towards a more mellow direction than their previous records.
With melancholic songs like the two ballads, the group seems to consciously steer into a more mature direction. Yet they’ve maintained their signature sound, and fans will be happy to hear every member’s voice showcased in this mini album.
