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FANGIRL LIVING

Here I flaunt my Asian pop culture fandom, ramble about Japanese anime, films and TV shows, share artworks, and sometimes I write for a bit o' cheese (read: moolah). Follow my blog!

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Saturday, April 30, 2011 / 6:58 AM

These two girl groups made their comebacks recently with Virgin *giggle* and Pinocchio (Danger) *more giggle* respectively. Since I haven't found the time to listen much to either albums I'll save my cents for later. I did, however, watch a couple of their other music/dance videos.

LET'S STEP UP - AFTER SCHOOL




Kahi, Kahi, Kahi. Why. Are. You. So. Goddamn perfect?

With the chanting and the drum beats, this song to me is like a cross between their previous single Bang! and Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl, and I actually like it! Combined with the smexy red shoes, the chic black and white dresses, the tap-dance-slash-ice-skating choreography, AND 8 statuesque women, the song's so much more badass. I like how they stuck to a simple concept for the oufits, although I can't seem to understand the sash-like ribbons across their torsos. But hey it makes the dresses stand out even more so, I'm good.

To be honest I'm not a die-hard fan of After School but I keep track of their album concepts because they usually emerge with something new and more innovative than what most girl groups come up with. I like how they did Because of You in black and white with contrasting monochrome oufits. Bang!'s marching band concept was a BIG breath of fresh air, and was one of the most original in the kpop industry. I admire the girls' patience and determination to learn even the drumming for another song in the album. 

In other words, After School's image, or concept, is neither too cute nor too sexy, too badass nor too dance-y. That's why I like After School. (But to me SNSD's sailor concept for Tell Me Your Wish is still the best, maybe because it was backed by a good song, which is where Bang! poof-ed).



GANGSTA BOY - F(X) (rehearsal video)




Err.

I expected too much from f(x) since their debut considering that they're promoted as more of a pop dance girl group by SM Entertainment itself, only to be let down with messy comeback songs like Chu~ and NU ABO. Until SME gives them a more polished song, I'm only keeping track of (1) their dancing, which is usually choreographed by no other than Rino Nakasone (from Beat Freaks), who also works on most of SHINee's dances, and (2) Victoria's dancing, because she's just as epic as Rino is. Mommy Vicky is lurve.

Gangsta Boy is no different from their other songs. I honestly don't know what to make of it, the rapping, the catchy yet annoying chorus coupled with Krystal's nasal voice, the awkward parts that sound like chanting and rapping combined, and Amber's "my gangsta, my gangsta" parts in the chorus are mindfucking. Everything sounds frustratingly wrong.

Actually I think a lot of f(x)'s songs have the, well, potential to be more polished-sounding if the composers thought more, listened more, tweaked it a little bit more, and experimented less. I feel like SME's using f(x) as a sort of medium for songs that they're "experimenting" with, and they're horribly failing.

So at the moment I've little care for their songs and just shift my focus on the moves. With all the footwork and sharp moves, Rino Nakasone goes all out on this one yet again.

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