Vocolate: 6th Album Full Review

It took me a while to make a review of Wheesung’s official 6^th full length album.  I really wanted to know which songs will grow on me after listening to the entire album over and over.  Sometimes when you listen to songs quickly, you get first impression.  You also fall in love at first listen but there are songs that will develop it self to be a favorite later on (hmmm talking about how I came to like  차안남녀-Chaanamnyeo a little late).

The first track attracted me just like how I get attracted to the 1^st mini album’s Perfect Man (of course not considering Real Slow Gotta Go as full song) and 5^th album’s Love Hero.  Over U was my instant favorite in Vocolate.  It was the song that stood out that very moment I listened to all the song.  The beat is so pleasant to the ears… it’s a groove song for me.  This song leads you to believe that Wheesung is just within the league of contemporary R&B royalty Craig David or Neyo who sings well both in upbeat and slow R&B.  I especially like the way Wheesung throws that I’m so over you line. If there is such thing as love at first sight, I consider this as love at first listen.

사랑..그 몹쓸병 (Sarang…Ku Molsseulbyeong – Love…That Terrible Disease) is also one of the bests to listen to in this album, something that I can include in my Best of  Wheesung Play List.  I can imagine this song as OST to a drama maybe because of its supple beat and soulful rendition.  I can almost picture in my mind which scene will it can be played.  At 2:31, I just love how he hit that short high note (that what seems to sound as ‘go’ in the lyrics) and the period between 2:25 – 3:33 the song was the most climactic portion.  Wheesung did a lot of rough falsettos in this song not the typical one you would hear from 다쳐도 좋아 (Dachodo Choa – Even If It Hurts) or even with the carrier single of the song.  Rough in the sense that it’s instead of the smooth one, his falsetto was rather ringing in voice.  I would like to think that this doesn’t strain his voice much.

Admittedly, 주르륵 (Chureureuk – Trickling) is not an instant favorite but it’s neither something that I don’t like.  When I get to listen to the album first time, I just told my self this one is good but it wasn’t like Over U that I instantly liked.  Nevertheless, this being the carrier song of the album was a good choice.  When I saw Wheesung comeback performance, I then realized it does complete the whole essence of the goodness in this song… the concept of an orchestra playing nailed it enough for it to earn a 5 star performance review.    Then the MV came out, it was expectedly sad but just the same it was complimentary to the whole concept of a song that speaks about hurting and tears in relationship that turned bad.  Wheesung style also added elegance in this song, he looks so polished but stylish in his comeback stage something that I always look forward to when he performs.  Wheesung just made this song too lovable overall so it grew on me naturally… love to this song gets developed in due time =)

The 4^th song in the album is reminiscent of days when Wheesung was still with YG.  For some reasons I can think of Se7en performing this song with him.  Rose sounds old school to me. It’s a song that I wouldn’t typically listen to if not for the good voicing from Wheesung.  Listening to it, I thought this song can be a gift to a boy band coupled with some dancing.  Again, the saving grace was Wheesung’s elegance in singing it.

네 심장이 쉬는 날 (Ne Simjangi Swinun Nal – The Day Your Heart Rests) is the killer ballad in this album. It’s not the song that you would use as carrier song but it’s something that represents the usual Wheesung love song.  Just like다쳐도 좋아 in the 5^th album or Luv Shine in the 4^th, this song seems to unravel, peaking every second.  It started low and slow but it slowly picks up to high with a little progress on the beat/rhythm, so does his voice.  This lands as one of the bests to listen to in this album.

Have you listened to Boyz II Men’s Throw back album?  Alone seems to be a track that can be added to that album. The song is flowing and light.  Listening especially to 1:09 to 1:11, it’s so Boyz II Men to me.  The song is easy to listen to… soothing and perfect for setting a light happy mood.  I also classify this as old school R&B but I like this more than Rose.  This is pure Wheesung melodic voice…the type that doesn’t strain his voice.  These types of songs shows how good a singer known for voice power can be, if they can sing mid range songs and listeners still enjoy listening to it. If this song has an MV, I can think of Wheesung wooing a girl, dancing slowly around her while looking cute.  This will land on my driving song play list.

I am not music professional but ‘Show Me Girl’ sounds House to me.  The beat and singing style gives me the impression that it is a House Music.  It doesn’t have much of the electronica and synthesizers but it feels completely House to me.  The one that is more with jazz flavor mixed with R&B of stronger basslines.  When clubbing, this song can probably be played just as when alcohol begins to settle down.  I am not a big fan of House Music but I appreciate how versatile Wheesung is when he sings songs out of his comfort zone.

Another House Music?  I thought One Kiss is another but more than anything else I almost thought I heard Super Junior’s Big Brother singing a better half of their Sorry Sorry song.  The synthesized drum beat is responsible for such feel.  Good thing that ridiculous sounding lyrics are not present in One Kiss, so the song is pretty decent and good to play for dancing.  I am curious as to how Wheesung will perform this song live. He will probably show off some great dance moves while doing stuff that he is really very good at – singing of course.

If you liked 커다간… 너무커다간 (Kodaran..Nomu Kodaran) of the 4^th album or 나락 (Narak-Hell) of 1^st mini album, then you will love 사랑해 (Saranghae – I Love you).  This song is of the same league with the first two songs I mentioned.  It’s almost kinda acoustic so you would literally hear more of Wheesung’s beautiful voice in this music.  I also think this just another display of voice control for him.  It’s not something that I will probably put in my Best of Wheesung play list but it’s definitely one of the songs from the album that I would like to hear when I shuffle play ‘All Wheesung Songs’ in my iPod.   Maybe in the future this can be another Chaanamnyeo to me.

Time Machine is like a modern day Beatles to me.  If Wheesung did not sustain those notes longer, I might think of this song as 100% Beatles inspired. 왜…this song is so lonely despite the relatively fast beat.  Among the 12 tracks this is probably a bit out of genre.  In my opinion this song is what I can classify as filler.  This is in the point of view of the overall concept of the album’s featured music genres.

Another song I like in this album is this one 눈물 쏟고 또 쏟고 (Nunmul Ssotgeo  Ddo Seotgeo – Tears are Dripping and Dripping). It gives out the same feeling as that of Insomnia to me; of course the beginning is totally different though I like its softer melody at the beginning.   I gave its beat and rendition a thumbs-up…another driving song.

So what can I say overall?

This album is distinctively fluid amongst all the previous albums.  All the songs are carefully polished in terms of Wheesung’s singing style.  I thought of this album as a blatant display of elegance in Wheesung’s voice.  Closing my eyes and listening to every song makes me hear a more mature way of singing from Wheesung.  Comparing it as when you write a composition, his voice sounded more structured, playful but sticky to the whole feel that the album wants to bring… that is the bitter sweet emotions you can cull out from love.

I have not seen the physical album but if I would have to choose between the initially released Vocalate album title and the official title Vocolate, I may retain Vocalate instead. It does mean the same coined term Vocal + Chocolate plus it does sound more like vocalization.  It can figuratively mean vocalization.  Of course this is not a big deal in deciding to buy the album.

If there is something that I wish for this album, aside from recognition and good sales, I wish there was a song that resembles that collaboration and smooth rhythm of 사랑은…(Sarangeun – Love Is) from the 3^rd album.  This is old school R&B too.  It’s one of the sweetly sung R&B songs I ever heard and it would have been a compliment to the entire feel of the album.  Nevertheless, overall, it’s still an album that one should not miss as it offers a variety of rhythm and great singing.

Vocolate the 6th Full Album

Finally there is a date for the much awaited comeback of the Prince of R&B in Korea… Wheesung who else.  October 8, 2009 is the date to look forward to.   It still pains me to think I rushed to Seoul in the month of September.  It could have been October had I known that my d@mn Oracle Trip will not push through.

Interestingly the album is entitled Vocolate (thanks to Wheesungland for the info) which actually stands for Vocal and chocolate.   I know this is a coined term which apparently would contain songs that will show his vocal while expressing the bitter sweet taste of life.   Oh am I no longer surprised of sad songs, Wheesung is known for this.   I could just imagine another ton of comments about the album title.   For those who will not be creative enough, for those who look down on Korean’s English skills and  for those who are simply Wheesung’s antis, I am already anticipating their 2 cents on this album by just reading the title.

Knowing that this album will be filled with old school R&B from Wheesung, it’s definitely worth the wait.    I wonder what will be the roster of songs this time *anticipating*

Off to South Korea…

I am off to Korea today with slight hopes of seeing Wheesung.

I might as well enjoy this second visit to Seoul.

Seoul here i come =)

K.Will Does Insomnia

I am not sure if K.Will looks up to Wheesung but this is the second time I hear and saw him perform a Wheesung song.  I am sure there could be other cover performances.  I admire K.Will voice, he got a got voice .

This time he gives a different touch to the way he rendered Insomnia.  His style still sounded a bit ballad but it was fine.   Of course it would be odd (at least for me) to say his rendition is better than Wheesungbecause i keep on missing that smooth transition of Wheesung in his falsettos.

09.10.09 WheeDay

I got this info from Wheesungland.  Wheesung mentioned in one of the Korean programs that September 1o is the date that he is looking at for the launch of his next album.

This is such a great news for me as I will be going to Seoul on the 16th.  This means that his album is already available for me to buy and I might be lucky enough to see him somewhere performing. I am keeping my fingers crossed.   I was too sad not seeing any sign of Wheesung in my last visit so maybe this time God will bless me with Wheerrific days in Seoul.

Wheesungland

Finally…

I have been wanting to become member of Orange Shock and Wheesungland for the longest time.  This is it.  I am IN!  Not to Orange Shock of course but to Wheesungland.  To 휘뿐 (better known as Janis here) thank you very much for helping me out.    Now I am no longer some visitor in that site.   I have been frequenting the cafe and it’s good to see fellow WheeFan.

If you stumble upon this site and you wish to be part of the biggest Wheesung Forum in the www world Janis is offering help to foreign fans who are completely clueless of Korean Language.

She left her email address somewhere here. You can also message me so I can give her email.  Whee Fangirling!

Insomnia @ Guerilla Concert

Yes its Guerilla concert and not Gorilla…my bad in my previous post.  I got 175/175 vision so I mistakenly read 에 as 어. Here is a good video of Wheesung performance singing Insomnia.   True enough, the viewers were so warm singing with Wheesung all the way.   The students of Yeongnam University welcomed him so well.

I finally got a look at the backdrop and it seems that this concert is for the benefit of World Vision  and Save the Children.  I admire Wheesung for doing this.  It’s not all about earning money but using his talent to share to other less fortunate.

Credits to CareGargle for the video at Youtube.

Hyesung vs Wheesung

Despite of the tough schedule I have today… I still had the guts to check on the internet for some new Wheesung Stuff and so I stumbled upon this poll from a website called Asian Pop Corn.   They call this post Star Battle… to me it’s just another face off.   It was a tie when i visited so my vote broke the tie and it is of course in favor of  the obvious.

I have first knew Hyesung while listening to Lee JeeHoon’s 5th album entitled Trinity.  I like the song Separation Story but more than liking Hyesung I of course like Lee Jeehoon.    I read about Hyesung’s former group S in which Jeehoon is also part along with Kangta.   Most importantly Hyesung is a part of the the boy band whose longevity in the business is yet to be beaten –Shinwa.

Now I feel the need to do a face off once more.  It’s a bit hard to compare while both Hyesung and Wheesung debuted as members of boy bands compared to Shinwa, Wheesung’s A4 was like comparing a Mercedes with a Toyota.    So maybe it’s better to see them side by side as solo singer.    Shinwa debuted in 1998 and remained in the market until 2008 while the short-lived A4 debuted 1999 and may have never seen the dawn of the 1st day of 2000.

Hyesung practically is senior than Wheesung but as solo artist Wheesung debuted 3 years earlier than Hyesung who released first solo album in 2005.   Hmmm by that time, Wheesung has enjoyed a pretty good popularity and has launched his 4th album Love… Love…? Love…!

	Hyesung	Wheesung
Total Solo Albums	3 (2005, 2007, 2008)	6 ( 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)
Awards – 2005	MKMF Best Ballad Category 20th Golden Disk Award – Bonsang SBS Gayo Daejun – Bonsang	MKMF Best Male R&B Artist 20th Golden Disk Award – Bonsang SBS Gayo Daejun – Bonsang
2005 Album	Love of May Released: May 2005 Copies Sold: 183,463	Love…Love…? Love….! Released: Sep 2005 Copies Sold: 224, 689
Awards – 2007	Golden Disk Award – Bonsang	Golden Disk Award – Bonsang
2007 Album	The Beginning, New Days Released: August 2007 Copies Sold: 94290	Eternal Essence of Music Released: September 2007 Copies Sold: Unconfirmed

I have no official figure of the total album sales for Wheesung’s 5th album but i think this is  more than 100K as the weekly sales had been averaging 10K  when it was launched.

Really tough to compare but they both have good voices but i think Hyesung has chosen to grow more as a ballad singer rather than R&B while Wheesung has been more aggressive in his choices of music genre.  As for me I have chosen to follow Wheesung because I simply like him more than Hyesung.

LSS: 차안남녀

I just got home after a one and half hour drive. Yes I did shuffle play again and I was like smiling of the thought which song gets to be played next.  It was a good shuffle, I heard 사랑은  and The Day We Meet Again.  BUT listening to 차안남녀 before logging off from the office got me inflected with the Last Song Syndrome. 

The song keeps playing on my head specially the part ‘pa pa rap pa’.   It’s one of a personal favorite from the 5th Album Eternal Essence of Music.   Google makes silly  translation of  this song title  but it just mean Man and Woman in Car. I can still feel the soul of this song coming from Wheesung’s voice. 

잘 자요!

Shuffle

I just thought that my addiction to Wheesung  has come to the next level.  Since I started listening to K-POP, i have maintained a Best of Wheesung Playlist on my iPOD and iTunes.   These are the Wheesung songs that I have totally abused for the past two years.

Last week i tried to shuffle play using all of Wheesung’s songs.   I know how intelligent the apple applications are so chances are it will be able to recognize the songs that I frequently listen to along with the least ones and do a mix of it during shuffle.  Funny but I find thrill with it.. guessing the first song to play and waiting for the next song, trying to figure out the title and the album to which it belongs.  Crazy isn’t it but I get a bit excited .    It’s refreshing to hear a mix of his songs.   I know its crazy to say or in some extent unbelievable, that you can stand to hear all his songs but there are honestly some songs that you play just once in a while.  So in an album perspective the 4th Album – Love? Love! Love… is what I can tolerate to hear every song again and again. 

While doing this shuffle play, I  thought of Wheesung songs that I suppose did not hit the mainstream but were so good…at least on my opinion and taste.   Well, this may not be true at all but my basis for saying ‘non-mainstream’ is that these songs were not as popular as the case of  Andwaenayo,  Inyeon Imyeon, With Me etc.

Maybe the other Wheesung fans out there got their own list of non-maintream Wheesung songs that they are truly in-love with.   These are some of the songs that I definitely consider one of his bests.

사랑은 (Sarangeun – Love Is) of course tops my list.  Up until now, I still have hopes of searching for a video of its live performance.   To me this is his best R&B song that never made it mainstream. 

Love Hero I guess got the same fate with 사랑은.  I almost thought that this will be the second song for promotion after Love is Delicious.  Surprisingly it was 다쳐도 좋아 (Dachyeodo Choa – Even if it Hurts) which is actually good as well. I was thinking this collaboration song with ‘J’ is equally great.

차안남녀 (Cha.an.nam.nyeo – A Man and Woman in Car) is another song  worth listening to over and over.  You will be able to appreaciate Wheesung’s control of voice in this song.  I must say Wheesung is just too good in singing sad songs.  I know this song is about break up in a car — and you can almost hear his heart in the way he sang it.  Reading the lyrics it was very true… a break up is always sad and in a situation where it happens in a car, I bet you wouldn’t even have the sense to hear the noise outside.   (Trivia: cut and paste the Hangul title in Google Translate — you will be surprised to see how Google translates it)

가 (Ka – Go) -  I love how this song seems to endlessly unravel to climax. I am not sure if this perfectly fits how I feel listening to the song but it’s like a roller coaster ride that after the song finishes you would say ‘oh it’s done’  when your emotions are still up there.  Just like 차안남녀 it shows  the beauty of Wheesung’s voice without going to far on belting for the high notes.

커다란… 너무 커다란  (Kodaran… Neomu Kodaran – Great… So Great)  This is a very short song, in fact I am thinking it’s  seems to be an Outro to the 4th Album being the last song before the bonus track.   Setting aside again the lyrics, this song got one of the best falsettos from Wheesung — I love it.  I don’t know what this song excatly means.  It speaks of the pain of loving someone more than one’s self but towards the end it seems to be sending a message of ‘change’ driven by a deep scar.  And this is the last album after YG.  I don’t know if this is really a song for a girl but maybe for a different kind of love — considering himself a fool for listening and believing.   Nevertheless I love it for the piano and the voice.

하늘에서 (Haneuleseo – From the Sky). This song gets to be performed by Wheesung once in a while but I guess this is likewise not as popular as the other songs.   I always say the jazzy undertone makes a song for easy listening.   I can actually imagine a good black R&B singer singing this like as if it was a jazz song — voice raises and dips in a nice tempo.

Luv Shine gets to be performed once in a while too. It’s from the 4th album and I like it’s beat.  As usual, Wheesung’s rendition does it.  Sings it from the heart.. makes me really wonder the number of break ups he had.  How can there be so much feelings for songs of this type.   I am specifically moved on the last part of the song that goes…

세상에서 가장 슬픈 얘기라고
아파 할 때마다 죽도록 빌어오던 일인걸

오늘만은 예전처럼 웃지 못해요
너무 기뻐 눈물만 자꾸 삼켜서
오랜 시간 맘에 가둔 사랑한단 말 하지 못해서 나 애가 타요
정말 많이 기다렸는데 정말 많이 미안했는데
꼭 안겨준 그대 고마워요

This is the last 2 lines of the second to the last stanza and the last stanza.   Maybe I should post the lyrics of this song in the Lyrics tab.  It’s nice even if its a bit sad.

Now I sound like reviewing the fourth album becausese 왜 나만 (Wae Naman – Why Only Me) is a good as it get song.  There is groove in it… the rap infused in the song was a good complement.  I am not sure if it was Wheesung doing the background rap since at some point he entered with his vocals. 

Oh no.. I don’t think I can end this post.  I’ll go crazy thinking about all his songs.  I’ll just go on shuffle play later when I drive way back home.