I can never forget our matching white turtlenecks…
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[6.29]
Anthony Easton: Charming, sweet confectionery — sort of like Cotton Candy without the stickiness.
[5]
Patrick St. Michel: This single works because of the lyrics, so get a new tab ready. The song opens a bit like The Mountain Goats “Woke Up New,” with our protagonist taking stock of all the small details missing from their life now that the relationship is over — a toothbrush, strong scent, picture frames. Whereas John Darnielle made way for the future by the end of his song, Sistar19 instead focus on the early stages of post-breakup life, in particular the ugly moments. You know, the desperate calls looking for reconciliation, the sadness, the tears, the drunken nights that get more frequent, more tears. The music initially comes off as a bit unambitious, but eventually becomes the perfect compliment to a song zooming in on a specific situation that doesn’t lead to much personal inspiration. Extra point for being a K-Pop song that makes the sax sound so downtrodden for once.
[8]
Alfred Soto: The sax embellishments and piano solo tease out her longing and the drum fills punctuate it. My favorite K-pop number in months.
[7]
Ian Mathers: It sure sounds like heartbreak in their voices (my fault, not theirs, that I can’t actually understand what they’re saying) but the backing and that kicky little fake horn noise give the track more momentum than you might think. The title is evocative enough, but if they wanted to go the “Be My Baby” route when naming this one I’d suggest “Dancing With Tears in My Eyes.”
[7]
Rebecca A. Gowns: That’s a sexy butt move, I’m going to have to steal that. I’ll need a glass table and a volunteer to mirror me. Wait, this is about the song. I love the tinny sax riff.
[6]
Daniel Montesinos-Donaghy: For a while, producer Brave Brothers a.k.a. Kang Dong Cheol’s role in the world of K-pop has been to act as a sub-Diddy, chirping in with adlibs on popular singles while mining a Myspace’n’b sound indebted to the back-end of B2K albums. He is, however, a very successful man. “Gone Not Around Any Longer” is his latest collaboration with Sistar (halved here for side-project purposes), a working relationship that has brought out his best side while retaining the dullest and worst of his musicality, and “Gone” showcases both sides to uneasy effect. Cons are as follows: a tip of the hat to Epic Sax Guy, Yoon Bora’s awkardly-placed sad-rap (of course there’s a sad-rap), the overly emphatic bummer-out atmosphere. What Cheol does right is to play with textures and window dressing, finding genuine emotion in the dialtone that opens the song, a deftly-handled drum break and a lonely yelp that rises and sinks into the stage-glumness of the chorus. “Gone” isn’t much cop — Bora and Hylolyn glide along with so little brio that their trying feels like a roll of the eyes — but it’s a reminder that sometimes hackwork can allow for a little bit of ingenuity.
[4]
Brad Shoup: Is this really only their second single? “Ma Boy” had a killer mix of melancholy and sultriness; this one’s a more straightforward moper, but with a hopscotch cadence and sung/spoken harmonies. Oh, and something that sounds like a Fisher Price alto sax.
[7]