(Featuring Eunhyuk, G-Dragon, RM, Eric Nam, and Kangta)
This time, I thought I would try something different on the blog. Instead of doing a deep dive into one group, I’m doing shallow dives into a bunch of soloists and their first mini albums, then comparing and contrasting. This time is male soloists, from Super Junior to BTS. So, let’s get into it!
#1: Eunhyuk of Super Junior
Eunhyuk is a member of Super Junior, one of my all time favorite groups (mostly by accident, read all about that here), but he’s one of the members I know the least about. I like his voice and I’ve seen a couple songs by the subunit he’s in with fellow SuJu member Donghae, but that’s about it. However, I did hear that he had an album coming out on the 27th (today), which spurred me to write this review.
Up N Down came out this morning, and I had no idea what to expect from it. But it definitely wasn’t what it actually was, which is a bassy, hip-hop based dance track. I was so surprised that I actually had to rewind the first half a minute or so. The song goes back and forth between being very smooth and very choppy, which works in some parts and not others. It’s not a style I normally listen to, but I can’t deny that Eunhyuk sells it well. Also, I loved Shindong’s little cameo (and his fur coat!). I’m going to say it’s good but not for me. A bit like NCT 127’s Walk, though, I could absolutely see it growing on me.
From the EP, Explorer, I enjoyed the fuller chorus of Trap, the mix between hip-hop and ballad in Empty, and Kyuhyun’s feature on the track You & I. (Side note: I didn’t realize it until the song, but Kyuhyun’s voice reminds me a little of Onew’s. ) I’ll give the release an 8.25 out of 10.
GDragon is both one of the main rappers of the group BigBang (which I covered in the past), and a huge solo artist in his own right. While his group’s work wasn’t really for me, I could definitely see his potential—-even though I’m not the biggest fan of rapping—-and so I’m excited to cover him here!
This album technically has three singles, but in the interests of fairness (and time), I went with Crooked. It’s most similar to their hit Sober, which was from around the same time. I liked the hints of rock, which go well with his distinctive tone. The music video, besides being very mid-2010s kpop, is wild, between GDragon walking around in his underwear, sporting a partly shaved head, and being covered in tattoos. It’s a trip for sure. I didn’t think that the rap section was really that necessary, but I can’t say I was very surprised by its presence. My favorite part was probably the chanty outro. I think I respect it more than like it, but I appreciate that it tries to do something different. I would humbly request that he wears different underwear, because, as Mao Mao from Marry My Dead Body would say, those things are burning my eyes.
From the album, Coup D’etat, I enjoyed the mix of electronic and traditional instrumentals in Niliria (though not the rest of the song), Lydia Paek’s feature in R.O.D., and the impressive flow in Go. The featured artists on this album are really a who’s-who of Korean and American celebrities of the 2010s: Missy Elliot, Jennie (to be of Blackpink), etc, which is pretty impressive. Even though I can tell that GDragon is very talented, I just didn’t like this album, I’m sorry. This kind of music often gets on my nerves. I’ll give it a 7.5 out of 10.
RM, or Kim Namjoon, is best known as the leader of BTS, who I probably don’t have to introduce to you. I covered them a while back in one of my earliest reviews—that’s due for a redo later this year for sure—but this was before I really made an effort to connect with who the idols were as people. Then I stumbled across his Tiny Desk performance and was really impressed by the artistry on display, and decided to add him to my list. Who knows? I might do a full review on his solo work later.
I know the title of this song is Still Life, but the way he says it makes it sound like “I’m still alive”, which I’m guessing is intentional. This kind of hip-hop / pop mix isn’t usually a style I’d enjoy, but I can always respect excellent lyrics, and these are absolutely excellent. The way they compare a live not yet lived with a painting not yet completed is great, and the line “life is better than death, I’ll prove it” really touched me. I also loved the groove and the sense of fun that the song had in general, earning a good few shoulder shakes out of me—you know the kind, when you’re too lazy to get up but your body just has to dance along—and I added it in to my library.
From the album, Indigo, I enjoyed the clever turns of phrase in Yun (“I wanna be a human before I do some art”), the surprisingly gentle sound of Forg_tful, and the incredible vocals in Wild Flower. My hidden gem was Lonely, both for its great lyrics and for the great buildup in the pre-choruses. I even didn’t mind the anti-drop, which is pretty surprising for me. Something I found very impressive in almost every song in this album is how natural the transitions between Korean and English felt, which is rare in kpop, and a testament to how good he is at both. I’ll give this album a 9.25.
Something tells me that this isn’t the last Married To The Music’s seen of Namjoon. I guess I’ll keep you posted.
#4: Eric Nam
Eric Nam is a bit unusual for a solo kpop artist, having started out as one and not as part of a group first. He also is or isn’t kpop, depending on who you ask, but for the purposes of this ranking, he’s kpop. (I know, I know, I’m sure Eric Nam is relieved that a nobody college student on the Internet has dubbed him worthy). I’ve listened to a bunch of the interviews he’s done, and I’m subscribed to his podcast, but I actually don’t know much about his music, so I thought this could be fun and a way to test the waters before doing a full deep dive, just like with RM.
This kind of quiet, fairly level track that Only For A Moment is isn’t usually for me, but the introspective lyrics and the synthy underlying beat won me over. I also really enjoyed the music video, where he runs into all different kinds of people, as you do on a subway. I know that the lyrics hint at a romantic direction, but I like to think that he’s really talking about the fleeting moments you run into people in general, and the seconds your lives collide with strangers. My favorite part was the bridge, where he gets a chance to showcase his vocals. Of course, if I had my way, the whole song would be like the bridge, but I understand that that’s not what he’s going for. I’d have to be in a specific mood to listen to it, I think, but I do like it.
From the album, House On A Hill, I enjoyed the melding of Eric and Zak Abel’s voices in In My Mind, the acoustic-driven, vulnerable House On A Hill, and the minimalistic, piano-led Exist. My hidden gem was, a bit unexpectedly, Hypochondriac, for its slowly growing synths and its clever turns of phrase, comparing fears of intimacy to hypochondria. I also liked Wish I Wasn’t Me, whose contrasts between life on a stage and the moments after reminded me of Taylor Swift’s I Can Do It With A Broken Heart. I liked this a lot more than I expected; I’ll give it an 8.75 out of 10.
#5: Kangta of H.O.T.
H.O.T. (whose name stands for “High-five of Teenagers”, no I’m not making that up), has been on my list to cover for a while now—-and I’ll get to it, I swear!—but I rarely cover 1st gen soloists, so Kangta seemed like a good choice to round out this ranking. He’s definitely the person I know the least about here, so I’m interested to see what his work is like.
Eyes On You begins with these declarative strings, and makes for a very cinematic music video; I’ll bet my next paycheck that Kangta’s acted in or directed something before. It’s beautiful to watch in many ways; the dance moves feel controlled and elegant, but still have a sense of ease that’s clearly the result of decades of practice. I was surprised by how strong his falsetto is, and by the fact that he chose to sing it for most of the song. If you’re wondering why I’m not talking about the music itself, it’s because I don’t have much to say. It’s definitely not a song for me, I confess, even though it’s pretty well-executed R & B. It just doesn’t hold my attention. Sorry. Also, unrelated: how the hell is this man 45 (43 at time of filming)? He’s not much younger than my mother and my skincare has never looked that good.
From the album, Eyes On You, I enjoyed the solid percussion of Love Song, the quiet choir in Bucket List, and the gentle guitar of Slow Dance. I’ll give Kangta an 8 out of 10; again, there’s nothing wrong with any of his work. It’s just not that interesting to me.
Verdict: TL;DR
My top album was RM’s Indigo at 9.25, with Eric Nam’s House On A Hill as the runner-up at 8.75. I think that both of these artists would make great deep dives in their own right, so stay tuned for those! I know I’m definitely looking forward to them.
Next time, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming. Tschüss!
Let me know your thoughts!