Okay so the order for this rotation changed soooo much. I’m mostly satisfied with the final product. Tanaka Roma’s “Namida” originally ranked at #8, but then I was listening to it and was thinking, “Why the heck is this so far down?” And bumped it up to #5, which in turn moved Tohoshinki down to #6. Evan’s song originally ranked at #6, was bumped to #7 after moving “Namida”, then bumped down another spot to make room for JJ Lin. Point being: there’s just too many good ballads - don’t judge too much on the numbered spots, like I said they moved around a lot. Also, this is only based on my personal opinion, not statistics or anything. =)
Top Ten Ballads:
#10. 클래식 (Classic) - KCM
What a beautiful voice - high, clear, crisp, rich yet pure at the same time. The predictable string & piano arrangement doesn’t really do anything for me, I’d probably forget the melody if it wasn’t KCM singing it, but just listen to that voice.
#9. 슬픈 인연 (Sad Fate) - Monday Kiz
Monday Kiz had to be on this list somewhere. I have also uploaded this song before (and no I am not trying to be lazy by reusing old songs, haha). Kim Min Soo’s death really just shocked me. I loved this duo’s music already, but his death really drew me into their songs even more. This was their last release - it actually came out a couple months after Min Soo’s death. Their voices are ... just amazing. They compliment each other perfectly. The harmonizing is beautiful. Both singers are at the top of their form. The song sounds a bit unpolished, but this only adds to its raw, intimate emotion. I don’t listen to this song as often & it released fairly recently compared to the other songs, which is why it didn’t rank as high, but every time I listen to it I’m just completely taken away.
#8. 남자도… 어쩔 수 없다 (Namjado... Eojjeol Su Eopda/Men ... are unavoidable) - Evan
This is a song that I first listened to when it released, around 2007, IIRC. It really just doesn’t get old, no matter how many times I revisit it. Evan’s voice, although not the most powerful, is a pleasure to listen to. The melody will linger in your head.
#7. 大男人 小女孩 - JJ Lin
It’s always the first line of the song that gets me. JJ Lin’s voice rises over the accompaniment, filled with emotion. It is really the little nuances in his voice that make this song so perfect, the way he seems to be almost struggling with himself sometimes to express a phrase and finish the verse. His voice evens out more and more towards the end of the song, gaining confidence and power.
#6. Love in the Ice - Tohoshinki
It was a close call between Love in the Ice and Forever Love as to which song would make the list, but in the end, Love in the Ice won. A chillingly emotional song that starts out softly and just keeps building, getting stronger and stronger. Each member’s vocals are spot-on, the verses seamlessly joined and the harmonizing perfect.
#5. Namida (Sleepless Night MANABOON MIX) - Tanaka Roma
I’ve also shared this song before, I’m not sure if you would even call it a ballad, which is why it didn’t rank as high as it might have. Tanaka’s genuine, pure voice simply soars. It is a “remix”, but the original simply cannot match up to this. The piano that forms the base of the accompaniment is beautiful, supporting without overpowering. Such raw emotion in a song is so rare. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m wondering why I didn’t rank this higher.
#4. 童話 (Tong Hua/Fairytale) - 光良 (Guang Liang/Michael Wong)
Another song I've previously uploaded - one of my favourite Chinese songs. Guang Liang’s voice is smooth and precise, but heartfelt. The chorus is where the song really soars. Maybe it’s partially the lyrics of this song that I like, but nonetheless a wonderful ballad. To be honest, I was debating whether this song should be so highly ranked. Much of the reason I’m attached to it is personal value, as it’s a song my family often listens to and that my friends and I used to sing all the time at karaoke. Either way, it’s a great song that was very popular in Taiwan when it released, and I hope you’ll enjoy it. =)
#3. Only Human - K
The a cappella opening of this song is just amazing. K’s voice is a flawless blend of strength and a soft, melodic vulernability. The accompaniment is sparse, putting the focus just where it should be: K’s amazing vocal performance. I don’t know what else to say about this song, just listen to it.
#2. 같은 베개 (Same Pillow) - Tei
This is one of the most highly played songs in my iTunes. Although it’s more of an old favourite that I often return to than a song on constant repeat, it’s a great song. Tei’s deep, full voice is perfect for ballads. Certain notes have an almost rough edge, others polished smooth. The melody and arrangement is memorable, hopeful but with a hint of sadness.
#1. 한 남자 (Han Nam Ja/One Man) - Kim Jong Kook
And that brings us to my favourite ballad ever, Han Nam Ja. I uploaded this song a long time ago, waaay back in my fourth rotation. I usually get bored of songs, especially pop songs/ballads, but I’ve listened to this song countless times, and I just never tire of it. I honestly don’t know why - it’s just a classic ballad with light percussion, typical string & piano accompaniment. But Kim Jong Kook’s high, clear voice is absolutely full of emotion, bringing this song to a whole other level: tender, vulnerable, yearning, and, overall, stunning. The lyrics fit the song perfectly. You can read the translated lyrics here (scroll down, it's the last song on the page).
Runners-up:
Forever Love - Tohoshinki
Forever Love (a capella version) - Tohoshinki
Uploaded this song before way back in my 5th rotation, which was when Tohoshinki's "T" album released. I really love the a cappella version of this song too. More hopeful than "Love in the Ice", which found its way onto the countdown. Whereas Love in the Ice had more intensity, Forever Love is almost comforting, with a warmer, richer tone. Vocally, I think this is really one of Tohoshinki's best songs.
그립고... 그리운 (Yearning ... Yearn) - Park Hyo Shin
I would’ve thought Park Hyo Shin would make the list, but although he has a lot of great ballads, there isn’t really one in particular that really stands out to me. But if there was, Yearning ... Yearn would probably be it. Park Hyo Shin’s voice balances strength and vulernability, at times full and rich and others lightly soaring through the melodies. A very sad and emotional track.
Even Though My Heart Breaks - Fly to the Sky
I’m hesitant to say FTTS is at their best here, but they’re definitely close. Hwanhee’s voice is rich and deep, Brian’s lighter and cleaner but still as emotional. As much as I love their solo songs, these guys still sound way better together. Hwanhee’s voice can be almost a little too overpowering in solo works; Brian’s too plain - together, they just balance each other out. Anyways, Brian’s voice sounded oddly close to Hwanhee’s in certain verses - deeper in range, with that husky note to it. They still sound great, but the contrast wasn’t as clear. The arrangement is also quite plain.
환상 (Illusion) - Fly to the Sky
I was surprised to find that FTTS did not mark its spot on the list. They originally held a spot, but as I found more and more songs that I wanted to include, they kept getting moved down until they were completely off the list. Illusion is more of a slow-tempo pop/R&B song than a real ballad.
Only Wind, Only Wind - SG Wannabe & Kim Jong Kook
This song was definitely a contender. I mean, come on, just look at the artists. Kim Jong Kook’s soaring, clean voice creates a well-cut contrast with SG Wannabe’s deeper, huskier vocalists - but they come together perfectly. Style-wise, it leans towards SG Wannabe, but both artists are definitely giving their best.
Love? - Evan Yo
I don’t know anything about this singer. Love? starts out soft and accompanied only by a piano. Evan Yo’s lyrical voice brings the simple, unadorned melodies to their fullest. Then, all of a sudden, the song bursts into a full-fledged rock verse. The transitions between the two moods, repeated throughout the song, are well-executed. I’m not sure if it would even really be considered a ballad, but a good song nonetheless.
Labels: Evan, Evan Yo, Fly to the Sky, Guang Liang, JJ Lin, K, KCM, Kim Jong Kook, Monday Kiz, Park Hyo Shin, SG Wannabe, Tanaka Roma, Tei, Tohoshinki
Valentine's Day Special
첫키스 (First Kiss) - Ajoo (아주)
I've been looking forward to Ajoo's debut single; there's been a lot of hype about it. He's signed to the same label as Younha, and I believe that she is his teacher as well. Supposedly he is a very good singer, dancer, model, etc. First Kiss is a fairly upbeat song. Though the energetic accompaniment pretty much overlaps his voice, it does back off in parts and the chorus is very catchy. I think it's more the song itself than Ajoo's voice that makes this song good ... but it's so catchy ... O_o XP Anyways, definitely worth a listen. If you scroll down to the "my picks" section, I've uploaded the other song in this single. (By the way, some random eyecandy for you: here's a picture of Ajoo.)
Love Sweets - AILE
I love Aile. <3 This is an awesome song by them, the vocalist hits some very high notes. Not too overly-oshare but still keeping the roots of the style. I love the guitar solo too, it's quite simple but has some very nice melodies. Highly recommended.
Forever Love -acapella version- - Tohoshinki
Not a big fan of Tohoshinki's ballads, but Forever Love is one of the few that I really enjoyed listening to. While still a tad generic, I really like this acapella version. I find it shows their voices nicely, though I could have heard more of Yunho. I especially love the first verse of this song. They manage to capture a lot more emotion in this song, something that I find lacks in some of their other ballads. I especially love Xiah Junsu in this song, I find that his verses are the ones that stand out the most.
Aishiteru - Base Ball Bear
A very good band that I think is slowly gaining more and more popularity. Aishiteru is a fairly light rock song that I really enjoyed listening to. By the way, just in case you didn't already know this, "aishiteru" means "I love you" in Japanese. I especially like the female back-up vocals, they add a nice balance to the song. The main vocals are also very good, though I'm not really getting very much from the accompaniment. Try them out. =)
Once Upon a Time With Two People - Hiro
Despite the cumbersome title of this song, it's fairly good. I don't know much about the singer, but she has a very nice voice. The first time I listened to this song, I didn't really find that it was anything special, but I listened to it again and it's starting to grow on me. I love the chorus where while the accompaniment doesn't slow down, she seems to be singing at a slower tempo. If that makes any sense.
How Do I Say - Shinhwa
Ah, Shinhwa. They were one of the first Korean bands I discovered, so I've always had a bit of a bias when listening to their music. This is from "Winter Story 2004-2005", which is supposedly pretty hard to find. It's a pretty typical Shinhwa song, but they lyrics in English are sweet if quite cliched. The chorus is pretty catchy. K-pop fans will probably like this song, not so sure about everyone else.
My Picks
Seven to Date - Amano Tsukiko
OMG PIANO. The piano part in this got stuck in my head and it took me forever to realise it was from this song. There's also little random four-note saxophone licks that spice things up, and Amano Tsukiko's voice isn't outstanding, but it's solid and strong. Download this if just to hear the piano solo.
Alarm 06:00 - Ajoo
Here's the other Ajoo song, as promised. I think First Kiss is catchier than this song, but Alarm 06:00 is more energetic. It has more rock influences, but is still very much a pop song. Still, it's well executed and a worthwhile b-side.
미녀와 야수 - KCM
As with the Amano Tsukiko song, an awesome piano part. In this song it's consistent throughout the whole track, though more prominent in some places than in others. When it comes to k-pop KCM is one of my favourite artists and I definitely enjoyed his latest album, Kingdom. 미녀와 야수 is very upbeat and catchy, and KCM's voice is lovely as always. Listen for the syncopated bass drum, too.
START - DEPAPEPE
Since the last Depapepe song I uploaded got quite a good response, I decided to upload another. I like Summer Parade more than this song, but I love START too. I like just about every Depapepe song. XP For those who've never heard of them, they're an awesome guitar duo. I especially love how they play acoustic guitars in just about every song I've ever heard by them. Definitely try them out if you haven't already.
Wo Men - Nan Quan Mama
Just a note, "Wo Men" means "we". I've heard a lot of good things about this band but only got to trying them out a couple days ago and I'm glad I did. They have a male and female vocalist and this is a fairly slow song. I love the accompaniment. It goes from Mandarin to Cantonese and I'm not sure whether they're Taiwanese or Chinese. Their Mandarin sounds more Taiwanese but I'm not positive. I'd love to hear more from them; I've added them to my requests list on the front page of this site.
Fuyuyasumi ni Tsuki - Swinging Popsicle
I would almost call them alt rock ... Swinging Popsicle is awesome. They have a female vocalist. I love their "Go On" album, though this track isn't from it. This isn't really one of my favourite songs by them, I don't think it shows their unique style as well as some of their other songs. I'll be sure to upload some more stuff by them; I was intending to upload a different track but somehow it turned out to be this one. O_o Try them out anyways, this isn't a bad song either. =)
Labels: AILE, Ajoo, Amano Tsukiko, Base Ball Bear, Depapepe, Hiro, KCM, Nan Quan Mama, Shinhwa, Swinging Popsicle, Tohoshinki
