I took a break from the number lottery (there's one more batch to go) to upload a full rotation, it's been a while since I posted one! This is Fashion Scan’s 40th rotation, and this time I’m featuring songs that have the word “super” somewhere in the title. Since many of the songs had similar/the same name, I had some issues with uploading. If there's a problem with any of the links, please let me know! =)
Blogspot would only let me use 10 labels in a post, which is why not all the artists are tagged. I decided not to tag a couple artists who I haven't uploaded anything by in the past & am less likely to upload anything by in the future, so not tagging them shouldn't make a big difference.
Comment/leave a rating if taking!
Superwoman - Gary Cao
Mandarin | Pop/Ballad
A rich mid-tempo ballad with English lines/verses interspersed throughout. Gary Cao’s powerful but tender voice is ripe with emotion, and the soft, smooth harmonies throughout the song add texture. I believe this is a cover of a song in English by Karyn White. I’ve never heard the original, but I love Gary Cao’s warm, light take on the song.
Superwoman - JAY’ED
Japanese | R&B
The song that inspired this rotation. Every element of this song is just so meticulously planned and executed, and it comes together beautifully. Opening with a light, clear piano arrangement that shines throughout the song and crisp conga-style percussion which leads into the R&B-style drums that form the backdrop for the rest of the song. JAY’ED’s voice is fantastic - rich, textured, and unique. I really like the soft, electronica-laced harmonies too. The whole song has a bit of a reggae/island flavour reminiscent of Kimaguren.
Super Star - S.H.E
Mandarin | Pop/Rock
A blend of rock and classical Chinese elements. Although I really like the style and feel of the song, I felt like their voices weren’t strong enough to carry the powerful atmosphere.
Superstar - L.Stadt
English | Alternative Rock
This band is actually Polish, but from what I can tell the lyrics are all in English. It’s a mysterious, ambient song that has a gritty, dark feel. I guess they’re a bit of an acquired taste, but I really like their unique sound.
Super Special - Seira Kagami
Japanese | Pop
A bubbly song with lots of electronica influences. Seira’s vocals aren’t amazing, but they’re light and sweet. A bit of a disposable song, nothing about it really caught my attention.
Super Star - Cho Shin Sung/Supernova
Korean | Pop/Dance
Fans of Cho Shin Sung should be glad to hear they’ve recently released a series of singles in Japan, which seem to be faring pretty well. This is one of their older (Korean) songs. It’s a smooth dance track with lots of synths. Surprisingly, the thing I liked most about this song was the rap verses where the accompaniment seems to slow down a bit. I found the sung verses to be quite forgettable.
SUPER SHINE - EXILE ft. VERBAL (m-flo)
Japanese | Pop
I was excited to listen to this song as it featured m-flo’s VERBAL, and I wasn’t disappointed. SUPER SHINE is a slick R&B/pop track, and my only complaint is that the segments where VERBAL is rapping and it leads into the chorus sound a bit disjointed, almost like it’s a different song. EXILE’s light, electronica-laced vocals are complete with dense harmonies, and their smoothness provides a nice contrast against VERBAL’s rapping.
SUPER-CALIFRAGILISTIC-EXPIARI-DOCIOUS - BOOWY
Japanese | Rock
I will admit I uploaded this song mostly for it’s title. This song has a light, tropical, reggae-influenced feel, and sounds slightly dated - probably because it is. I’m not sure exactly when this song released since it was off a compilation album, but BOOWY was active/most popular in the 80’s. It’s a bit random at times, but overall an interesting track.
Super Honeymoon - Owl City
English | Electronica/Pop
I’ve uploaded a song by Owl City in the past, and although they’re a recent find of mine, I really like them. Adam Young’s voice just has this certain soft, pure, slightly dreamy quality to it. I love the light, atmospheric synths. A soothing song.
Supernova - ELLEGARDEN
Japanese | Punk-Rock
Although I’m generally not a fan of punk-rock, I love ELLEGARDEN. Supernova blends melody with active percussion/guitar easily. The harmonies add a lot of contrast, and although this isn’t one of my favourite songs by them, it’s certainly a good one.
Unplugged Superstar - SuG
Japanese | Rock
Although these guys are considered “oshare kei”, their music definitely isn’t as bubbly and bright as say, some of Antic Cafe’s stuff, which is one of the reasons I like them - they balance visual/heavy rock with an atmosphere that’s not as dark and overbearing. Unplugged Superstar’s melody didn’t really appeal to me, but I love the guitar work.
Superman’s Dead - Our Lady Peace
English | Alt Rock
I love the gritty, dark atmosphere of this song - accentuated by Raine Maida’s unique, slightly growling vocals. It’s a unique song that you won’t quickly forget, although it might not be to everyone’s taste.
Super Girl (Korean Version) - Super Junior M
Korean | Pop
I uploaded the Korean version because I thought most of you would have already heard the original Chinese version. Super Junior has always been hit-or-miss with me, and I’m still undecided on Super Girl. I’ve given the Mandarin version a quick listen, and I have to say they sound much more at ease with Korean. I really love the slick, laid-back hook (although it kind of bugs me how they say “shuper”), but the busy dance atmosphere is a bit too hectic and bland for my liking. It’s so crowded that nothing really pops out, giving the accompaniment a sort of flat, two-dimensional feel.
supernova - BUMP OF CHICKEN
Japanese | Alt Rock
I love this band (despite their odd name), and songs like supernova are why. The accompaniment is very light, and it really accentuates the clear and genuine vocals. Overall, it’s just a beautiful, warm song.
Labels: BOOWY, Cho Shin Sung, ELLEGARDEN, EXILE, Gary Cao, JAY'ED, Owl City, S.H.E, Seira Kagami
Sorry that this rotation was a little late - the jazz band that I play in had a concert on Saturday, so I didn't have much time to update this weekend.
Fashion Scans was started roughly October of 2007. It’s November 2008 now, so the site recently passed its one year birthday! ^_^ Rotation 20 is themed then and now, featuring songs that topped the charts in 2007 and ones that are topping the charts now.
Korean;
2007:
둘이라서 - Eru (Because it’s the two of us)
Ballad | Vol 3 - Eru Returns
The ever-popular ballad seems to dominate k-pop charts, although I’ve noticed recently that with the new electronica trend, more upbeat songs are taking the top spots, especially with artists like Big Bang, Wonder Girls, and DBSK. 둘이라서 is a typical Korean ballad - to my ears, it was a bit too generic. IMO, Eru’s second album was better than his third, although his voice is still lovely. Worth a listen if you’re a fan of ballads.
사랑한다 - Lee Seung Chul (Sa Rang Han Da)
Ballad | The Secret of Color 2
Another ballad. As opposed to Eru’s deeper, thicker voice, Lee Seung Chul’s vocals are light and melodic. The warm, uplifting arrangement is really what made this song worth listening to.
2008:
어제보다 오늘 더 - Kim Jong Kook (Today More Than Yesterday)
Pop/Ballad | Vol. 5 - Here I Am
2008 saw the return of Kim Jong Kook, one of the top male singers in Korea, from his mandatory military service. He’s always been one of my favourite artists. His voice, while high in range, is still thick with emotion. Recommended.
라디오를 켜봐요 - Shin Seung Hoon (Turn on the Radio)
Pop/Rock | Radio Wave
A veteran k-pop singer known to be the “king of ballads”, has also returned with a mini-album that differs from traditional ballads, featuring an acoustic rock sound. Turn on the Radio starts out as a relaxing, laid-back track featuring a simple piano accompaniment, building suddenly and without much warning into the chorus. I love the contrast in dynamics in this song, but the softer parts were a bit dragged out.
Gossip Boy - Younha
Pop-Rock | Someday
Last year, Younha topped the charts with the song “Comet”. She seems to be enjoying a relative amount of success this year, too, with the release of her album Someday. I love her voice and the style of her music. Gossip Boy is an upbeat rock-influenced track, catchy and fun.
Japanese;
Songs chosen from the top 100 Oricon Singles of 2007 & from the most recent Top Singles chart of November 2008.
2007:
Tabidachi no Uta - Mr.Children
Soft Rock | Tabidachi no Uta
A laid-back, slow rock ballad. It’s not one of my absolute favourites by them, but worth a listen.
Eien ni - KinKi Kids
Pop/Ballad | Phi~Universal Love
A gorgeous ballad by KinKi Kids. Their vocals are rich and thick with emotion. The accompaniment is kept light throughout the song, even in the chorus, allowing their voices to shine through. Recommended.
Daybreak’s Bell - L’arc~en~Ciel
Rock | Daybreak’s Bell
I haven’t enjoyed Laruku’s newer material much, this is probably the last release by them that I really liked. Daybreak’s Bell has a darker tone and a memorable chorus, hopeful and strong.
2008:
無責任ヒーロー - Kanjani8 (Musekinin Hero)
Pop | Musekinin Hero
I have to say I don’t like these guys much. They’re fun, but a little too poppy/cheesy for me. A bright, upbeat song filled with trumpet riffs and a jazzy/ska feel.
Monochrome no Kiss - SID
Rock
I think this was done for the opening theme of an anime? While it seems very fitting as an opening theme, I prefer SID’s jazzier side. A solid rock song, but not much more.
My Heart Leaps for “C” - Antic Cafe
Oshare kei |Koakuma Usagi no Koibumi to Machine Gun
Upbeat, electronica-influenced in parts - at first I thought it was bit too overwhelmingly hyper, but it tones down a bit. Eh, it wasn’t exceptional in my opinion - most of my favourite AnCafe songs are actually their ballads - but worth a listen.
PROMiSE - MiChi
Pop/Rock | PROMiSE
She’s a relatively new artist, I think she’s only released one demo EP before this single? Signed to Sony. A simple mix of pop, rock, and electronica. If you’re looking for something experimental this probably won’t suit you, but it’s a decent song.
Mandarin;
2007:
離開地球表面 - Mayday
Rock | Jump! The World
Mayday! <3 All their releases seem to be fairly successful - their latest album, Poetry of the Day After, is also topping charts - in fact, I’ve uploaded a track from it further below. 離開地球表面 is an fast-paced, catchy track. I love the beats in this song - slightly choppy yet never jerky.
青花瓷 - Jay Chou
Pop | I’m Busy
Jay Chou is another artist who you’ll see twice in this rotation. Is it just me, or have his last two albums (this one & his latest, Capricorn) really gone downhill in quality and consistency? There’s two or three decent songs and the others are either mediocre (more like “fillers”) or just really bad. T_T Anyways, 青花瓷 is a soothing, mellow ballad. Like many of Jay’s songs it features some faint influences of classical Chinese music, but unlike in some of his other songs it’s not quite so overwhelming. I actually thought this song was quite nicely balanced out between classical influences and modern sounds.
Super Sunshine - Gary Cao
Pop | Super Sunshine
I love Gary Cao. <3 This song starts out with a sweet a cappella verse, leading into a light-hearted, feel-good pop song. Despite the cliched lyrics - You are my sunshine, my only sunshine I thought it was nice.
夠不夠 - Khalil Fong (Is it enough?)
Pop/R&B | Wonderland
Another great artist. A tasteful blend of R&B and pop, Is it enough? allows Khalil Fong’s wonderful vocals to shine through while also having a great beat. It’s not my favourite song by him, but definitely close.
我就是我 - Guang Liang (I Am Who I Am)
Pop/Ballad | 不會分離 (Never Apart)
A great singer - you might know him from his song Fairytale/Tong Hua which was a huge hit (I think I’ve uploaded it before, too). I Am Who I Am is a lovely ballad - while it lacks the instant impact of Tong Hua, it is a song that I found myself replaying.
2008:
Always Online - JJ Lin
Pop | Sixology
One of my personal favourites from JJ Lin’s latest album. Always Online is fairly slow in tempo with faint R&B influences. It’s a sad song but catchy at the same time. Recommended.
稻香 - Jay Chou
Pop | Capricorn
This was the closing track of Jay Chou’s Capricorn album, and, IMO, one of the few decent tracks. A peaceful mid-tempo track backed by acoustic guitar 稻香 is light and youthful.
如煙 - Mayday (Ru Yan/Smoke)
Rock | Poetry of the Day After
A lovely acoustic ballad from Mayday. The vocals are genuine yet laid-back and the thick, blunt bass sound contrasts nicely with the short, separated guitar chords.
Labels: Antic Cafe, Eru, Gary Cao, Guang Liang, Jay Chou, JJ Lin, Kanjani8, Khalil Fong, Kim Jong Kook, KinKi Kids, L'arc~en~Ciel, Lee Seung Chul, Mayday, MiChi, Mr.Children, Shin Seung Hoon, SID, Younha
