PHANTOM - 청소년이 들으면 안되는 사랑노래(19 Song)

I happened upon this song by chance.  And I am so glad I did.

It's so interesting!  The more I see of PHANTOM, the more I love them.

This song is apparently a rewritten compilation of banned songs by other bands in Korea, which they rewrote and put together to poke fun at (and perhaps even thumb their noses at) restrictions and censorship in Korea.

On one hand, it's hard for me to understand the strict censorship of music in Korea because I don't live there, I live in the United States.  On the other, I know how huge a deal censorship is in the US, and the stink people raise when they think their right to freedom of speech is being violated.  I would hate to have that kind of censorship imposed on my creative spirit, and the artists I admire.  Oh wait, I DO hate that!

I applaud these guys for doing this.  I think it's amazing.  And the song they put together?  Fantastic.  Sanchez's voice is so pure, and the harmonies they produce, and that guitar?  Oh, slay me now.  Beautiful.  I love the interaction of the guitar with the voices, and the sounds they produce, and I love how they made it all echo-ey, and unreal when they are in this small room.  This one is definitely a win.

But.  Holy creeper vibe!  When I first saw this music video, I was not sure exactly what I was watching!  If you don't know what is going on, you are sitting there watching these three guys seemingly trying to serenade these young schoolgirls, who are sitting there in their short skirts with bare knees, covering their ears, and they have a block covering their eyes!  It's CREEPY!  Even though the song is chill and makes me happy, the creeper vibe was very strong.

That's how you're supposed to feel, though.  With the guys alone, singing this song, it's not creepy, in fact, it is a beautiful song.  When you add the young girls, though, and with the way it's shot, you can turn it into something not nice.  And I think that's what they were aiming for.  They're telling you: sure, you can make anything creepy, you can make anything into something worth censoring.  Even if it wasn't that way in the first place.

And really, songs like these ones that PHANTOM borrowed and compiled, what was really so ban-worthy about them?  These get banned, when something like Gain's Bloom wasn't?  I don't want to single any one music video out, or artist--and there are so many music videos just like Bloom that aren't banned.  It really says something, not just about Korean culture, but our world-wide culture doesn't it?

Sorry for ranting about censorship and not enough about how awesome the song is.  Instead of me talking further, go watch it for yourself here: 

And here's a list of the songs that were banned and put in this song:

TVXP: Mirotic

DJ DOC:  I'm This Kind of Person

Vibe: I'm Always Drinking

GD and TOP: Knockout and Don't Go Home

10 CM: Americano

2 PM: Hands Up

Have a great week with your chill music!

And a Few More...

So.

Still getting the hang of this blogging thing.  I know my posts have been sporadic at best, and sometimes life just gets... Hectic.

Here are a few of the songs from my chill music playlist that I listen to when I want to be calm and chill and relaxed.

Not much commentary except that I love them.  And they're fun, "real-life" videos.  Or as much of real life you can get when you're filming.   I always love to watch those ones.

Love Verbal Jint.  So much.  Not much else I can say.

Also I love Standing Egg.  Especially this song.  I could listen to it over and over again.

Wait.  I do.  Psh!  Secret's out now!

So, have a great time with your chill listening, and also, if you live in the States, a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Next week I think I may do some Phantom.  I pretty much adore them. 

The end :)

데이브레이크(daybreak) - SILLY

I could honestly listen to these guys all day long.  No joke, this song is one that simultaneously makes you want to tap your foot and snap your fingers to the rhythm, but also just kind of lie back and bask in the awesome cuteness.

Of course, the first thing I noticed was that the little story that goes along with the song was all in backward-motion or whatever the technical term for it is.  That was freaking AWESOME!!  

Come on!  You can't be human and not like this video!  Really!  It's so fun and quirky and adorable!  I think my favorite/awkward part was where one of them is pouring water into the fishbowl, but drinks it after/before?  Yeah, the thought of drinking fish water is disgusting, but it's not actually fish water, so we're good.

Sorry, little tangent.  My favorite thing about the music video is probably the setup when they're in "band" mode.  I ADORE the lights all over the floor, and then when they transition from band to story-line and the lights turn into strewn balls of paper?  Genius. 

 I also love that the band is in suits for the band part, and his microphone.  Oh man, I'm weirdly in love with that microphone.

I may want one for Christmas.  I'm just saying.

I guess, lastly, I like this music video because it communicates in such a creative way how silly and awkward and backward falling in love feels, but at the same time how wonderful and... Just happy it is.  Because throughout the video, they are being teased and they are rewriting and agonizing over these messages, but they are still doing it!  They love every minute of the agony and silliness.  And I think it's a great music video.

So, to fall in love with the cute, awkward, backward story of falling in love by Daybreak, you should watch the music video, if you haven't yet :D

Have a fantastic week!

Just Some Chillin'

Sorry darlings.  I've been trying to get past a cold, so I haven't been concentrating on chill music this week.  Oh, and I went to see BIGBANG in concert.  That might also have something to do with how behind I am.

:)

So.  I'm just gonna give you all a few links to some songs that I tend to put on repeat and listen to when I want to calm down, or write, or just chill.  These songs are musically wonderful, chill and I love them a lot.

You all know that I love Sungha Jung's music.  But this song is definitely one of my favorites.  For me, it conjures not only those mellow rainy days in the fall when I would go out and splash in the puddles as a child, but also makes me think of all the endless, just out of reach possibilities my life still holds.

I also really love this song.  I know, not a music video.  But definitely a song worth listening to.  I love the guitar that generates this fast-moving rhythm which is completely offset by his soulful vocals.  And then the drums come in, and it's a perfect song.  Of course, i really, really love Sanchez's voice.  That might be the biggest reason for me picking this song.

And this one.  I love.  Pretty much the end.  Plus the cold I've got is taking over my brain cells, so I'm not sure what I'm typing is even manageable anymore. 

All I'll say is this one just makes my heart happy.  It's so cute, and quirky, and I love her voice and the way the song compliments it.  Or is it that her voice compliments the song?  Whichever, they are a perfect fit.  And I, yet again, love the guitar.

Hope you have a great time with your chill listening this week!