Top Albums and Mini-Albums of 2015: Number 2

ALBUMS

2. Wonder Girls - Reboot



I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a Wonder Girls fan before this album was released, but I am a massive fan of the 80's and anything related to that sound. So, when the girls came back as a band, performing synthpop and 80's-style r+b, I was more than won over... I was obsessed! Reboot remains this year's strongest k-pop album, even after all of the competition. Each song is a brilliant encapsulation of their concept, and the songwriting itself is very strong. It's hookier than it has any right to be.

MINI ALBUMS

2. B1A4 - Sweet Girl



B1A4 are incredibly reliable albums artists, much of which is due to the fact that they write and produce their own material. Simply put, Jinyoung is a genius pop songwriter. All of his melodies here sound so classic, so perfectly realized. And although the title track wasn't their strongest, it's compensated by the triple whammy of perfection that follows it. Seriously, the combination of "I Am A Boy, You Are A Girl," "10 Years," and "Mine" is undeniable.

B1A4 - It's Christmas Time

I'm going to take a break from the countdowns today to focus on what is undoubtedly the best new Christmas song this year (and of quite a few years). Korea's been producing a slew of new k-pop Christmas tracks this year, but this song by B1A4 has really not gotten the love or attention it deserves. Part of that is probably because the song isn't paired with a music video, like most k-pop releases are. That's a shame, because a lot of B1A4's charm is in their colorful, creative visuals. That said, this song is so good that it doesn't even need a music video. It's firmly in the "All I Want For Christmas Is You" vein of holiday music, all upbeat sleigh bells and explosive chorus. And let's talk about that chorus, because it's one of the year's absolute best. And I love that, judging from the sole English line alone, this isn't another schmaltzy romantic message, but a more innocent plea for friendship. We could all use more songs about that.



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Top 50 Singles of 2015: 35-31

35. Exid - Ah Yeah



The girls followed up their breakthrough with this resounding success. There are so many little hooks within, but at the end of the day it all comes back to that gargantuan chorus.

34. AOA - Heart Attack



The first time I heard this, I couldn't get over how noisy and frantic it sounded, but then everything came together and I realized what a brilliant propulsive pop workout it truly is.

33. B1A4 - Happy Days



They placed two times in the top 10 of last year's countdown, and surprisingly their 2015 entry is an anthemic, poppy, Japanese release.

32. BTS - Run 



Released literally a day before my cut-off date of eligibility to this countdown, it's hard to tell what staying power this will have, but based on their track record, I'm betting I'll be playing this brilliant single a lot next year.

31. Romeo - Target 



An even better Sweetune single from new group Romeo, this is the kind of synth-drenched, layered blast of pop that I live for.

B1A4 - Happy Days

One nice thing about Japanese releases (particularly those by Korean artists) is that, even though they're announced way too early, sometimes we get a nice surprise and the music video for the single is put out weeks in advance. This happened last week with B1A4, who just happen to be one of my most favorite K-Pop groups. Better yet, unlike many Japanese releases, Happy Days is a strong return to the group's more fun, poppy side. It's like What's Happening part two (except not as perfect). I haven't been able to confirm, but I'm assuming this was written by leader Jinyoung, just like most of the group's singles. The video is cheesy as hell, but the song itself is super catchy, super upbeat and represents the sound I hope they go for when it comes to their next Korean comeback.



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B1A4 - You Are A Girl I Am A Boy

Upon first listen, I was a little worried about the new B1A4 single. They are one of my absolute favorite K-Pop groups, particularly because they tend to honor strong pop songwriting over following trends. Sweet Girl, which is very much a 70's disco pastiche, isn't really what I wanted from them. And on first listen, the song itself didn't sound hooky enough at all to be a single -- especially one we've had to wait over a year for. However, it's growing on me. The guitar solos, in particular, really elevate it into something special. I think I might prefer the second track on the mini album, though. Despite its somewhat cringe-worthy title (which is frequently repeated in the chorus), the song is an energetic, extremely well-produced pop song. It maintains the 70's feel that highlights the bulk of the album, but it has a rockier backbone than most of what B1A4 have produced. I'd actually label it "power-pop" more than anything, which is a refreshing genre for mainstream Korean music to explore. Whatever you'd call it, it's a big track with an incredibly anthemic hook. In fact, the entire mini is more impressive than I'd first given it credit for.

B1A4 - White Miracle

This is for all those in the Northeast that are getting hammered with snow. I figured it might be nice to watch a music video where the snowscapes are gorgeous rather than apocalyptic. Plus, it seems like we're not getting any snow (again) in the Northwest, so I admit I'm a little jealous. Taking weather out of the picture, I was going to post this track anyway because B1A4 are one of my absolute favorite bands these days. I am obsessed with leader Jinyoung's unique vocal tone, and the fact that he composes most of the group's music is incredibly admirable. White Miracle is a Japanese single. More often than not, these feel more uneventful and unexciting than their Korean counterparts. That's true here as well. The song is more "pleasant" and "pretty" than "impactful" or "essential," but sometimes that's okay. The melody is beautiful and builds fantastically. Very soothing, for these short winter days.



(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy the single here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Top 50 Singles of 2014: 5-1

5. 5 Seconds Of Summer - She Looks So Perfect



Quite simply, it's the perfect pop song. It also happens to be the highest ranked English-language track on the countdown. Of all the singles that were successful in the West this year, this bombastic, fizzy anthem was the one I kept going back to. That chorus is one-in-a-million. Bottled lightning.

4. Josef Johansson - Blickar Kan Mörda



I wish that more people were familiar with this song. Through his work this year, Josef Johansson has become the Swedish artist I'm most anticipating. The song itself reminds me of something Darin would put out, yet it's got a quirky edge that compliments the surging, addictive production and hook.

3. Akdong Musician - 200%



There are so many ideas and surprises hidden in this bubbly mix of pop, folk and hip-hop. It's like pulling open a nesting doll. Some tracks settle for one or two strong hooks. In 200%, every strum of the guitar and vocal adlib are hooky, which makes the song a little hard to click on first listen. But, it's also what makes it the pop song that keeps giving the more you listen to it.

2. B1A4 - Lonely 



Its soaring melody and icy hip-hop beat might seem fairly simple at first, but it's the little turns in leader Jinyoung's songwriting that make this midtempo ballad stand out. The accented high notes in the chorus, the key change at the end, the way the rap winds through the song so seemlessly, the hints of trumpet buried in the mix, and the final, repeated refrain of the title. It's utterly affecting, and much more emotional than you'd expect it to be as it steadily builds to its explosive climax. Honestly, it's probably the best ballad I've heard in years, without really being a ballad at all. I had it placed at the top spot several times.

1. Infinite - Back 



The best pop songs have a standout moment. The absolute best have more than one. Back is like one perfect moment right after the other. That first, dramatic beat drop after the climbing balladry that opens the track -- the aggressive dance breakdown after the first chorus, cut by distorted guitar -- the seemingly disparate orchestral suite underpinning not only the middle eight but the entire song. Somehow, it manages to sound exactly like K-Pop yet nothing like K-Pop at the same time. Infinite has always been known for their powerful vocals, but you can feel the energy and desperation dripping from every note in Back. The track itself is an ambitious gamble with song structure that pays off to almost jaw-dropping effect. It's just ballsy... the kind of thing mainstream groups rarely attempt. In fact, the song is so good that it made me go back and reconsider everything else the guys have done, and put Infinite at the very top of my K-Pop obsession.

Don't forget, if you'd like to listen to the Top 50 Singles Countdown in full, download the audio version!

Top 50 Singles of 2014: 10-6

10. Kliff - Mun Jopo



I just couldn't get enough of this strange pop trifle this year. It's a hybrid of hip hop, dubstep, and even choral elements in the middle eight. That beat is an absolute sledgehammer. It's hard not to lose it every time it kicks in during the hook.

9. The Madden Brothers - We Are Done



I'm a sucker for bright, summertime harmonies. I would've never expected the Good Charlotte guys to be on my countdown, let alone in the top ten, but this is just a perfectly written, classic pop song.

8. 2NE1 - Come Back Home



The girls do it again, with a galvanizing blend of East and West, pop and trap, and one of the year's most soaring hooks. A deserved smash.

7. B1A4 - Solo Day 



Who would've expected K-pop and summer beach pop to be such a great mix? This has to be the year's ultimate feel good track, especially when those kaleidoscopic harmonies bust in towards the end.

6. GOT7 - A 



A real sense of groove is hard to find in mainstream pop music these days, especially as electronica continues to take over. But, this track boasts one of the year's funkiest, smoothest beats. It doesn't even sound like it's trying, and that's what makes it so addictive.

Don't forget, if you'd like to listen to the Top 50 Singles Countdown in full, download the audio version!

Top 10 Mini Albums of 2014

Before we move on to the best of the best early next week, I'm going to pause for my top mini albums (or EPs) of the year. Given that this format is used most widely in Asia, there's a lot of K-Pop on the list. Strangely, there's also only one female representing this year! I'll be looking for them to come strong in 2015! To be eligible for this chart, the albums must have at least four full tracks.

10. HyunA - A Talk



I became a HyunA fan this year, despite not being into too much of he stuff in the past. That's all to do with this sleek, dud-free collection of charismatic dance pop.

9. BTS - Skool Luv Affair



Nearly a full album, with eight tracks on the expanded version, I didn't like this quite as much as their other release this year, but you can't deny the pair of singles...totally different from one another but both awesome.

8. VIXX - Error



Glossy, meticulous production highlights this collection of dramatic, sci-fi flavored dance. The title track is epic, and the rest of the album surprisingly lives up to it.

7. Exo - Overdose 



EXO had a quieter year in 2014, with just this mini-album release. It's not their most in-your-face collection, but it's an incredibly interesting listen, sonically, and of course includes the fantastic title track.

6. Halo - Hello Halo 



One of the most promising new debuts of the year, I love that this group is pure POP and doesn't really try to be anything else. It's a short album, at only four tracks, but they're all bright and fun.

5. Austin Mahone - The Secret



It may not include his best song (What About Love), but the throwback sound to the late 90's Swedish pop boom is incredibly welcome and sets this collection of songs apart from everything else out there.

4. Gravitonas - Garden Of Men And Machines



My favorite release from them, simply because each and every song is flawless. It has a nice sonic variety as well, with aggressive dance sitting beside pensive balladry.

3. The Fooo Conspiracy - Conspiration



These guys released two excellent EPs this year, but this is my favorite. It's a masterclass in fun, youthful 2014 urban dance pop. Playful, energetic and ridiculously catchy.

2. Taemin - Ace 



I'm a massive Michael Jackson fan, which is part of the reason I love K-Pop so much, and Taemin delivered what sounds like a modern MJ release. His background as a dancer is evident in the way his vocals massage the beats.

1. B1A4 - Solo Day 



No single release this year sounded more like summer than this. Overall, it's more subdued and downtempo (even acoustic) than most of what I like, but song for song, I don't think this mini album could be beat in 2014. It just makes me happy.

Top 20 Albums of 2014: 8-7

8. B1A4 - Who Am I



Overall, this is probably the slowest of the albums on my list. There's one uptempo, and most everything else is either ballad or midtempo. Because of this, the album as a whole took me a while to warm up to, but what it has in spades is longevity. The guys' excellent musicianship is on full display, and the entire album evokes a very specific mood that serves it better as a whole than in parts.

7. One Direction - Four



Their remarkably consistent run continues, as the guys have churned out another solid pop/rock album. Of all their releases, it may end up having the least staying power for me, but song for song, it's incredibly solid and surprisingly mature. The addition of more harmonies and gently production works wonders, even if I still prefer the big, loud, 80's power rock pastiches they pull off so well. As with most of their albums, it could do with a generous reshuffling when it comes to track order.

Track-by-Track: B1A4 - Solo Day

B1A4 have been my major discovery this year. As I get more and more familiar with the K-Pop world, I'm continually surprised at how many awesome groups exist outside of the "big three" agencies. Luckily, I got into this band right before their newest mini-album was released. A note about any K-Pop review I do: I am not a Korean speaker. I search out translations of the lyrics when it interests me, but lyrics are definitely not something I'm focusing too heavily on in these reviews.

1. Solo Day - The band bills this as "country pop," but I'd say it's better described as "sunshine pop." This is the kind of music that makes you feel like driving around in a convertible, speakers blaring under an open sky. It's one of my favorite K-Pop songs of the summer, with an outstandingly fun music video to accompany it. 10/10

2. You Make Me A Fool - Moving from a summer day soundtrack to a soulful summer night acoustic campfire track. I must confess, this one took me longer to get into, mostly because it's quite slow and delicate sounding and I usually like my music more bombastic. Still, it's grown on me immensely and become one of my favorite ballads from the band. 8/10

3. It's Going Well - The music starts off slow, sultry and beat-driven before launching into a big sing-along chorus. Like the others before it, this has got a total summer backyard barbecue feeling to it. It's definitely on the more r&b side of the band's catalog. It's a solid addition to the album. 8/10

4. A Glass Of Water - A song about literally needing a cup of water (though apparently it was initially about alcohol... and I feel like it still kinda is). Other than Solo Day, this is definitely my favorite track, and one of the band's best ever. An uptempo, party track with an anthemic singalong hook, it gets even better as the beat drops out for a surprisingly melodic middle eight before launching into that mammoth hook once more. 10/10

5. Drive - We're back to that summery r&b pop that flavors most of this album. It has an American feel to it, like something that Usher would've performed at his peak. It's a laidback track, for sure, and as such doesn't overly stand out. Still, it retains the general vibe of the album, which is quite strong when taken as a whole. 8/10

6. You (ft. Sunmi) - Another solid, pleasant track in an album full of them. This sounds like it might be a bad thing, but it really isn't because sometimes a cohesive album is more than the sum of its parts. It would be repetitive to say this is a midtempo, summery r&b track, but it is, and it's another good one. Maybe not quite as good as the ones that come before it, but a nice closer nonetheless. 7/10


Album Grade: 8.5/10 Highly Recommended

B1A4 - Lonely & Solo Day

B1A4 are my latest obsession in K-pop. They have one of the most random names out there (the b's and a's stand for the members' blood types... yes, really), but their singles run has been spectacular. They have a youthful, poppy energy about them, sort of like the Korean One Direction. Most impressively, nearly all their singles (ie: their best tracks by far) have been written and produced by their leader, Jinyoung. Jinyoung also has the kind of charismatic voice that really appeals to me. It kind of reminds me of G-Dragon. Lots of character and texture in the vocals. I want to post both of their singles from this year, because they're quite different, yet both amazing in their own right. First is Lonely, which is probably my favorite ballad of 2014 so far. I just can't stop listening to it. It's like a perfect 80's/90's boyband throwback, with a gorgeous melody. Then there's the new summer single, Solo Day, which is the perfect kind of song for a day at the beach. It just oozes sunshine.They're both great videos, too.


(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. Buy their albums here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.