A-STYLE | MEDIA MATTERS
  • News & Updates
  • For Patrons!
  • Editorials
  • Reviews
    • My Grading Scale
    • Top Lists
  • Behind the Scenes
    • About
    • FAQ
  • Fan-Works

2pm - My House (MV Review)

8/27/2015

0 Comments

 

Fantastical and Fabulous!

           At first listen this song is actually really creepy... It's a very hush hush sort of romance, the sort of hush hush that boarders on unhealthy (a thought that resonated with me seeing as this MV was released within a few weeks of History's Might Just Die...). Seriously, the lyrics involve a secret trip to a guy's house, a guy the girl has only just met... There's a lot of assumption on the male narrator's part, and a lot of demands... Particularly the "I'll meet you around the corner and far away from witnesses in ten minutes" thing caught in my mind as creepy... Like serial killer levels of creepy... But honestly a closer look at the lyrics, and an understanding of the fairy tale roots of the story, make things a lot better. It IS kind of creepy, but he's a magical creature trying to lure away his prey, so it's SUPPOSED to be creepy.
              The set  aesthetics are gorgeous, very elegant and fantastical. All the delightful throws to fairy tale lore fit neatly in place within the gorgeous setting, and the camera's movements are all fabulously engaging. I particularly adore the slide of Junsu's entrance at :53. I think some of the styling is a little wonky, but these guys manage to pull it off for the most part (Nichkhun's flesh-colored shirt is pretty iffy). I'm not a huge fan of the choreography over all, but it's big and expressive and quite engaging. The track on it's own it fantastic, absolutely delightful. The beat is relaxed and overtly casual, but there's a powerful zing of energy to it, like a fantastic beast biding its time before a sudden pounce. The intro is a slow vamp of energy, the repetitions serving to ramp up the intensity of the rhythmic elements, in a slow, methodical crank of energy, especially considering that the second go of each grouping has more syllables that the last ( 그래 becomes 안그래 and such). The chorus swings into place with a smoothe slide of panache. Over all it's well spatialized, delightfully mixed, all the voices and instrumental bits ring though in perfectly timed moments of cool intensity tinged with the heat of seduction and the chill of resistance and artfulness.

I Give it a 9/10: Blissful!

           I honestly don't really like the choreography, but that's not to say I don't enjoy the dance practice video. I deeply enjoy the dance practice video. There's a couple moves I do enjoy and I really like how Junsu's pants show off the intricacies of the footwork. Honestly, a lot about this release seems to make it an instance of The Jun.K Show but I really can't say that bothers me. The practice video shows off their choreographic skill while still allowing their famous goofiness to shine through. As a pair, the MV and the rehearsal make this release one I could not take my eyes off of and the live stages were equally entrancing.
Picture
0 Comments

Jay Park - Mommae (MV Review)

6/2/2015

0 Comments

 

Well Hot DAMN...

           At first I wrote this off because the MV was... well kinda gross, quite frankly. I'm still not the biggest fan of the ridiculous objectification, gawking, desire to be possessive of the female body, thing, but there's other elements that I decidedly enjoy, and the fact that the track is just unbelievably kickin' means I've watched this MV like a thousand times at this point and it's therefore more or less criminal for me to avoid reviewing it. I don't have too much to say on the matter, just that it's a shame the MV's so... over the top. In some ways that's what makes it almost excusable, there's an element of parody here. There's also the advocating for safe-sex aspect, and the fact that it represents women of multiple skin-types as all equally sexy. All in all the MV is not my favorite but the track is incredible. Honestly, the feature rap section is just a bit too long for my tastes, but still it gives the rest balance and an enjoyably dynamic contrast. The undertow of epic synth energy pulls the whole track forward and the light bounce of the lyrics moves over it with a sassy slide of confidence that steps well into arrogance but somehow stays appealing. It's spatialized perfectly and the bounce of beats between the ears makes the whole thing even more ecstatically energized. The transitions are smooth and the timings flawlessly poignant. It's pretty dang epic.

I Give it an 8/10: Fabulous!

Picture
0 Comments

2PM - 하.니.뿐. (A.D.T.O.Y.) (MV Review)

5/27/2013

0 Comments

 

HOT DAMN.

Hard-core Hottest I am not, most of 2PM's stuff just isn't my style, but HOT DAMN I've been watching this over and over (and listening to it on repeat) for almost a month.

The Choreo is just glorious, angsty and hot and yet still strong, powerful, and hyper-masculine. In case you're wondering why the hand thing is so sexy {I've seen the comment going around}, it's called protectionism and in this case it's got a few layers: the hand's placement is that socially naturalized to be the placement of a partner's, typically one asking for sex, they're projecting a girl into their space and the 'you' of the lyrics plus the way they stare straight at the camera leads the audience to project themselves into the empty space that lacks the partner they're imagining. (Isn't psychology fun?)

The MV is simple and oh-so sexy, and very well put together. B&W for classic style, a stage for the idea of persona and acting one way while thinking another, steamy yet still innocent cuts... the transition timing is just fabulous and DAMN do they look GOOD. ^_~ All it's lacking is a fully cinematic story, and honestly I don't think it really needs one.

And the song itself is beautiful; a powerful, energized, lament that's angsty and romantic at the same time. The interplay of styles from the different instrumental features gives it this great, distinctive flavor that gets more and more intense as the song progresses (particularly in the distance between the highest note and the lowest note heard in a given phrase). It's fantastic! Hands-down my favorite 2PM mv!

9.5/10: DIVINE!

0 Comments
    If you have Questions about my Terminology, Bias Bands, or any other FAQ click HERE.

    Categories

    All
    100%
    1 The K (Loen Ent)
    2ne1
    2pm
    4 Minute
    9muses
    A6P
    AA (Double A)
    Academic
    A Ent Korea
    After School
    Ailee
    A-Jax
    Alice Nine
    AlphaBAT
    Amber
    Amie Kaufman
    AMUSE Inc
    Ann Pachett
    AoA (Ace Of Angels)
    AOMG
    Apink
    Art History
    * Artist Review *
    A-Sketch Ent
    Attack
    Audience: Adult
    Audience: New Adult
    Audience: Young Adult
    Audience: Young Reader
    B1a4
    B2m Ent
    Bangtan Boys
    B.A.P
    Bastarz
    Beast
    Believe Records
    Ben
    Benedict Carey
    Bestie
    B.I.G
    Big Bang
    Big Hit Ent
    Bigstar
    Block B
    BoA
    * Book Review *
    Boyfriend
    Boys Republic
    Brandnewmusic Korea
    Bravesound
    Brown Eyed Girls
    BTL (Beyond The Limit)
    Bugs! Korea
    Bumkey
    C2k Ent
    Can Ent
    C Clown
    C-Clown
    Chrome Ent
    CJ E&M
    CJes
    C-Jes Ent
    Cl
    CLC
    Collabodadi
    Core Contents Media
    *Cover Review*
    Crayon Pop
    CT Ent
    Cube Ent
    Cultural Studies
    Danal Ent
    Debut
    Diaura
    Donghae
    DS Ent
    Dsp Ent
    Dynamic Duo
    Equal Rep: LGBTQ+
    Equal Rep: Varied Gender Presentations
    ESNa
    Eunhyuk
    EXID
    Exo
    F.cuz
    Fiestar
    Fluxus Music
    Flying Dog Ent
    Fnc Ent
    Ft Island
    F(x)
    GaIn
    Galaxy Inc
    G Dragon
    G-Dragon
    General
    Genre: Cultural Studies
    Genre: Dark Fantasy
    Genre: Dystopia
    Genre: Epic Fantasy
    Genre: Fantasy
    Genre: Historical Fiction
    Genre: Literary Fiction
    Genre: Mythology
    Genre: Physics
    Genre: Plain Fiction
    Genre: Realistic Fiction
    Genre: Revisionary History
    Genre: Romance
    Genre: Science
    Genre: SciFi
    Genre: Space Opera
    Genre: Speculative Fiction
    GH Entertainment
    Giriboy
    Girls Day
    Girls Generation (SNSD)
    G.NA
    Gng Productions
    * Graphic Novel / Manga Review *
    Grisha Verse
    H2 Ent
    Happy Tribe Ent
    Henry
    Heo Youngsaeng
    High4
    History
    Hotshot
    House & Home Goods
    Imagine Dragons
    Infinite
    Information
    Instant Records
    Iu
    James Kakalios
    Jang HyunSeung
    Jay Park
    Jellyfish Ent
    Jennifer Armentrout
    Jimin N J.Don
    JinYoung Park (JYP)
    JMS Ent
    Js Ent
    JTM Ent
    J Tune Camp
    Jun HyoSung
    Jyj
    Jyp Ent
    Kahi
    Kang Seungyoon
    Kara
    Key East Ent
    Kim Hyungjun
    Kim Hyunjoong
    Kim Jaejoong
    KO Sound
    Kota
    KT Music
    K.Will
    Lc9
    Led Apple
    Lee Junghyun
    Leigh Bardugo
    Lim Kim
    Lindsey Stirling
    Lion Mascot (สิงโต นำโชค)
    Lunafly
    Madtown
    Mamamoo
    Marie Lu
    Marie Rutkoski
    Mblaq
    Meagan Spooner
    M.I.B
    Minah
    Miss A
    MMO Ent
    Mnet
    Monsta X
    Moonshine
    * Movie / Drama / TV Show Review *
    M.Pire
    Mr. Mr.
    Music K Ent
    * Music Review *
    My First Story
    Myname
    Mystic89 Music
    Nano
    Naomi Novik
    N.A.P Ent
    Neal Stephenson
    Nega Network
    N.Flying
    Nh Media
    Nine Muses
    Non Fiction
    Non-Fiction
    N-Sonic
    NS Yoon G
    NS Yoon-G
    NU'EST
    Odd Eye
    Oh Yeri
    Okdal
    One OK Rock
    Park BoRam
    Pentatonix
    Personal
    Phantom
    Pledis Ent
    Pocket Girls
    Pony Canyon Ent
    Prepix
    * Product Review *
    Psc Ent
    Queen B'z
    Rainbow
    Red Velvet
    Rex. D
    Rise Records
    Romeo
    ~Rookie Debut~
    Sabaa Tahir
    San-E
    Sarah J Maas
    Sean Carroll
    Secret
    Seo InGuk
    Series: Keeper Of The Lost Cities
    Series: Science Comics
    Seungri
    Seven Seasons Ent
    Seventeen
    Shannon Messenger
    Shinee
    SidusHQ
    Simtong Ent
    Sistar
    Skarf
    Sleeping With Sirens
    Sm Ent
    Sony Music & Ent
    Soulights
    Speed
    Spica
    S-Plus Ent
    Ss501
    Stardom Ent
    Star Empire Ent
    Starkim Ent
    Starship Ent
    Star Wars
    Stellar
    Sugarbowl
    SuJu D&E
    Sunmi
    Sunny Hill
    Super Junior
    Swings
    Taeyang
    Tahiti
    T-ARA
    Tasty
    The Ark
    *Theater & Stage Drama Review*
    The Benjamin Ent
    The British Royal Family
    The VIBE Ent
    Timothy Zahn
    Tiny G
    Tnc Ent
    Togeworl
    Top Class Ent
    Top Media
    Topp Dogg
    Toxic
    Ts Ent
    Tvn
    Tvxq
    U-Kiss
    Ulala Session
    UNIQ
    Universal Music
    UP10TION
    Urban Zakapa
    Various Artists
    Vibe: Aeronauts & Punk Diaspora
    * Video Review *
    Vixx
    WA Ent
    Warner Ent
    Wonder Boyz
    Wonder Girls
    Woolim Ent
    Xiah / Junsu
    Xiran Jay Zhao
    Year End Review
    Yedang Ent
    Yg Ent
    Ymc Ent
    YNB Ent.
    YNM Company
    Yuehua Ent
    ZE:A[제국의아이들]
    Z.Hera
    Zico

    Email Me!

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    July 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    May 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    My Tumblr

    RSS Feed

    The name, layout, opinions, analysis, and original media displayed on the Music Matters® website belongs to A-style® and are the intellectual property of Alexandra Swords. 2013©
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.