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!

Standing EGG - A Perfect Day MV (with Windy)

Okay.  I kind of have mixed feelings about this Music Video.  Let’s get that out there at the very beginning.  But I love Standing Egg, and I’m ecstatic they came out with a new song!!!

I adore the song.  It’s so relaxing and so chill.  I read some of the comments on Youtube, and they are right: this song is a great one for the morning, you can get ready and relax and be happy while listening to this awesome song.  I love how pure and clear and wonderful Windy’s voice is and how the guitar is neither drowned out by her voice, nor does it overwhelm her.  Wonderfulness in sound form.

Okay, on to the music video.  Is it just me, or is the music video a little bit wistful and a little bit sad despite the chill sound of the song?  You take away the music—the cheerful, mellow music—talking about a perfect day—and you have a lady, all by herself; surrounded by either an empty forest, an empty coffee shop, or behind the glass watching people have fun in an amusement park.  Sure she smiles occasionally, but who made her smile?  Usually when you’re smiling by yourself, you’re smiling at memories, or anticipating something you get to tell someone or do something to make someone you love laugh.

Face it.  A perfect day isn’t really perfect unless you’re sharing it with someone.  Yeah, a day can be restful and peaceful, and even happy, but to tip it over into the joy sphere of happiness, you need people that you love.  Just sayin’.

Otherwise, the music video is totally great.  I love all the shots.  It’s fantastically put together.  And yes, some of the elements of a perfect day are totally there.  Comfy sweater in a neutral color that you wouldn’t wear to fashion week?  Check.  Nails that match the color of the tree in your photograph?  Check.  Hair down and all over the place?  Check.  Warm drink on a cold day?  Check.

Funny bits:  I already mentioned the nails matching the trees.  That made me giggle.  Another thing?  Totally love how the photos of the cityscape and traffic light have the word “Forest” printed across the middle top.  What the confusing?  Yeah, no idea why anyone would do that except for advertising purposes, but whatever.  Another thing?  Totally love the old school clock in the wood-printed plastic that tells us that it’s 11:06 AM?  Yeah, that one made me happy.

So, I guess what I get from this music video is that sometimes you don’t have anyone to share your perfect day with.  But you can still be happy when you’re alone.  She smiles at the end, even though she looks a bit wistful throughout.  So, you can be happy and embrace life, even when you’re alone.  I like that, because sometimes you don’t have people to share things with.

Hope you like the music video!  And happy chill listening until next week :D

긱스(Geeks) - Hold It Down MV

I like the Geeks. 

Okay, that's too mild.  More... I FREAKING LOVE THIS SONG!  And this band.

And I don’t usually like the style they’ve got going on, but for some reason they got to me.  For me I suppose it could be their name.  Geeks.  Seriously.  So super awesome and adorable!  And I geek out (forgive the horrible pun) over the fact that they spell it out in Korean.  Makes me happy.

Loving the song.  I liked Officially Missing you, too, but this one tugs at my heartstrings.

Yes.  My heart has strings.  Get over it.

Somehow the more I listen to it, the more I want to cry.  I know, silly right?  But the lyrics combined with a sort of melancholy feel to the music just… Sigh.  It’s like he’s upset but amused at his own feelings, and doesn’t know what to do with it, and so he moves on.  Or I could be totally off.  Meh.

There’s one shot of the path one of the guys is standing on, and it’s got things poking up.  I don’t know about you, but if I stepped on one of those things, I would completely skewer my foot! Seriously.

And the first thought I had about the couple-ey ness?  Their very first scene with him behind her, holding her?  Yeah, totally awkward looking.  He just looks uncomfortable there.  You can totally tell when people are not necessarily comfortable being close to each other, and he did not look super comfortable there.  Funny.

And, my last silly thing about the MV.  The guy singing and rapping at the beginning?  He’s kind of wearing sunglasses in the city. That wouldn’t be weird, except… It’s kind of night time.  And it’s not just the lens or any special effects.  The lights of the city are on around him.  Ha ha, I actually really love that, though.  Yet another thing that makes me happy.

I loved the different scenes they shot in.  The city at night (especially with the sunglasses), a park/field with grass, walking along the street, the sea.  Wonderful, shakes it up, and makes the music video interesting and fantastic to watch.

I loved the raindrops.  Rain is always symbolizing sadness, I think.  For me (I love the rain, but I live in a desert) in videos like this, it almost feels like the heart, crying.  Especially when whoever it is can’t.  Whoops, there goes my poetic side.  I really liked the rain, is what I’m saying.

These guys are so awesome.  I’m sure they’d prefer awesome to “adorable,” but at the same time I want to call them adorable too.  Not because they’re not amazing artists, but because they make us adore them.  It’s not just like, it’s adore… And I’m okay with that.  They sneak into your heart with their music and awesomeness and stay there.  The Geeks are definitely wonderful.

I hope this mv makes you as happy as it does me.  Especially listening to the song, though, because I could chill to it all day long.

Happy listening!

Neon Bunny, or: 야광토끼-나와둘이

Neon Bunny is really great to chill to.  Especially this song.

I guess first of all I want to say that Neon Bunny is a great singer.  I love her voice.  She almost sounds a little like the crooners that would drape themselves across pianos.  You know the ones I’m talking about?  No?  Dang.  Real old-style, slow and soft and sweet but a little sultry too.  She has this ethereal voice, breathy, very pure with none of the extras thrown in.  Not that the extras aren’t nice.  They totally are.  But sometimes you long for something simpler, you know?

Oooooh!  And fireworks?!  Nobody told me there was going to be fireworks!  Seriously, people, where were you when I was being informed about this mv?  Huh?  Just kidding.  In all reality, the fireworks are so neat, especially with the focusing the way it is, so they’re blurry and they fade out really fast behind her face.  You get the feeling like she’s being filmed outside at a party, but not actually part of the party.  It’s like a memory sequence, and with all the overlaying of the different shots, it’s really neat.

I love how you get almost-glimpses of her face, you can even tell what she’s wearing, but you are never… Quite… There…  She’s playing with our minds, that’s for sure.

I love the light play in this music video!  I really can’t get enough of it.  At first you get her silhouette with lights behind, then you get fireworks, and then you get the feeling of, almost being inside a vehicle and lights flashing past on the window.  But she’s still there outside it.  And then you get her and some guy in glasses dancing in front of the fireworks!  (Were they at a party?  Were they in love?  What?)

Definitely artsy, definitely fun to watch, goes so well with the song.  It reminds me of something I would listen to in the car on the ride home late at night from my grandmother’s house or something.

It takes real talent to convey something to people who don’t even understand your language.  This music video leaves me wondering about it, and knowing I haven’t guessed all the answers, and that is also amazing, because if your audience is left questioning, they always come back for more. 

Was she remembering when she was with this guy in the glasses?  Or is she singing now about their happy relationship?  It doesn’t really feel that way with the way the song sounds, but it is possible.  For those of us who don’t understand Korean, it’s kind of like a guessing game.  Where you sometimes don’t get the answer to the riddle!

The song is really amazing.  And it grows and grows on you.  Not like fungus.  More like a happy tree, or some kind of nice grass… Anyway *cough*.  The slow movement, the snapping at the beginning, the chimes, the very deliberate beat all make for a great song to just chill to.  Her voice mixed with the romantic/melancholic sound of the song just combine to make the perfect piece to chill to… Cry your eyes out to… You know, whichever you’re in the mood for at the time.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here it is:

If you’d like a specific song, or artist for next week, go ahead and drop me a comment.  I promise, I can’t bite through the computer screen.  Hard as I may try…  J/K, I really am nice!

 I’d love to hear what you have to say about Neon Bunny or any other “chill music” artist.

Have a great week, darlings!