However, our writers are back to their projects. Here are a few topics that we will be posting about in the future:
REVIEW: "MR MR" SNSD
ASIAN-PAC ISLAND DISPUTES
REVIEW: EXO "WOLF"
Thanks for your continued support!
Sriracha: The Spice of the Asian-American Lifestyle
So as most of you probably noticed, we have been on a short hiatus. This was due to the technical difficulties.
However, our writers are back to their projects. Here are a few topics that we will be posting about in the future: REVIEW: "MR MR" SNSD ASIAN-PAC ISLAND DISPUTES REVIEW: EXO "WOLF" Thanks for your continued support!
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The new SCA-5 law that may be passed soon brings up lots of feelings of unfair and unequal treatment. The law wants to repeal Proposition 209, which states that the government cannot base admission to a public state school based off race, ethnicity, or sex. As an Asian American living in San Francisco, I often take the respect that I receive as a person, regardless of the fact that I’m Asian, for granted. But I’ve realized over the years that once you venture outside of the Asian bubbles in California, Asian people are often ridiculed or considered second-class citizens. The ridiculousness of these actions either bring me to tears or makes me want to punch all those ignorant people in the face or in the balls, depending on the gender. (Though, I’ve heard that getting kicked in the crotch regardless of gender is quite painful.) I would say that I’m pretty damn American; in fact, quite a number of my peers and friends say that I’m whitewashed. My favorite cuisine is Italian, my Chinese is quite mediocre, and my favorite subject is history, not math. (Seriously people, I hate math. My C in Precalc Honors will prove it to you.) My family and I do family hiking trips and travel the country just to walk trails, love baseball and are season ticket holders for the Giants, and relax like every other stereotypical American, through eating and watching TV. So please, next time, before you start generalizing all Asian Americans, think of me coming to you and kicking you in the balls or not-balls. But the one thing that irks me the most about Asian generalizations is one that I already hinted at, academic excellence. Holy F!@#, if another person comes up to me and says, “Hey Asian girl! Wanna help me with this math problem,” someone is going to get murdered. STOP. JUST. NO. Not all Asians are good at math y’know? In fact, here’s a news breaker, NOT ALL ASIANS ARE GOOD AT SCHOOL. Sure, you’re always going to have those really smart Asian kids who take 7 AP classes and then manage to get a 5.0. Those are the ones that you will always think of us Asian kids as, but really, think about it realistically. People often only think of the cream of the crop or the worst of us all, but no one stops to pay attention to the majority of us in the middle. Most of my friends have B’s on our transcripts. (OH NO, B’S? WHAT IS THIS? WHY HASN’T YOUR FAMILY DISINHERITED YOU YET?) My grades aren’t stellar at all, and I’m pretty sure I’m almost like the average American kid who wants to go to a decent college. But just because I’m Asian, people set my standards higher because I’m supposed to be that perfect student. The SCA-5 law will make my journey to getting to a UC even more difficult than ever just because of my ethnic background. It’s not based off my academics, personal statement, or extracurriculars. How is this fair? Why am I, just another student getting a public education in the state that often scores the lowest and has one of the lowest education budgets in the country, getting singled out because I’m “supposed” to be better and more academically driven than any other race? The entire state of California is fueling the segregation of races, trying to divide the melting pot that the United States is. Now, Amy Chua and her book about how Asians are successful and all that jazz isn’t helping my case. (No, my mother did not threaten to burn all my stuffed animals if I wasn't perfect and force me to practice the violin for hours a day.) But if you think about it, she helps me prove my following point. Asians are afraid of failure. Failure is not an acceptable option. Thinking about the famous and successful people, the Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerbergs, and the Steve Jobs, of the world, notice how they aren’t Asian? When you think of successful Americans, do you think of an Asian person? Probably not. My Asian and American instincts are pulling at me; my Asian ones tell me that failure will result in the world ending, but my American ones tell me that I will rise and do better next time, as cheesy as that sounds. And by learning more and more about myself over the years, the American approach is the better option for me. But with SCA-5 possibly going to be in play when it is my turn to submit those dreaded college applications, where can I possibly fail and learn? Must I always be another incredibly successful stereotypical Asian in the fact that I get a respectable job that pays extremely well? I’ve always known that I don’t want to just disappear into the San Francisco fog as just another well off Asian person. This may be my 16, almost 17 year old naiveté, but I want to be the risk taker, the greater fool, the person that makes an impact on the world, especially in college, where I will have the chance to experience the world in a whole different light.
By Sabrina Lin (guest author) Submit your writing here Like us on Facebook Photo and Video property of TS Entertainment
B.A.P – First Sensibility Review Disclaimer: I am not a professional music reviewer, and am not a professional musician. This is an opinion-based review, and should be taken with a grain of salt. After six months, B.A.P has returned with their first full-length album in their two years since their debut, packed with thirteen songs, none of which were previously released. The album strays far from their four previous hip-hop heavy releases and two cute songs, and promised to convey a “dandy sexy” concept (whatever that means.) So how does this album stack up? 1. B.A.P The opening song of the album picks up right where “Excuse Me” from their previous EP, Badman left off. Among the new album’s songs, “B.A.P” is the most characteristically B.A.P-sounding of the bunch, packing everything that they’re known for into two minutes: rap and powerful vocals over a hip-hop inspired base. Personally, I thought the song was pretty good, albeit a bit forgettable if not for the constant English scattered throughout the intro (“The king is back,” “get on the floor, everybody say B.A.P is back,” etc.) I did enjoy the return of their fierce in-your-face style, but I definitely think this would only fit as an intro track, as the majority of the song is about reaffirming that B.A.P has indeed returned. Individual song score: 8.5/10 2. 1004 (Angel) This song is described as having folk, rock, and house beat elements, with lyrics describing a lover “like an angel,” who left them, and their subsequent turmoil and heartbreak. I feel like the song jumped too abruptly from Daehyun’s soft opening lines into Youngjae belting out the pre-chorus. The instrumental music flowed surprisingly well from the beginning acoustic sound to the electric guitar, but I think more of a first verse would have served well before Youngjae’s part. Other than that, this is a solid song that I find myself singing nearly every day. It manages to deliver fairly even line distribution to all of the members and highlights the best of them, despite not being a heavy, powerful song like the majority of their previous titles. Although some might argue that B.A.P moving away from their “signature sound” is a bad thing, I think it’s a sign that the group is growing and evolving and willing to take on new styles, rather than finding something that works for them and simply sticking with it for the rest of their run. They have mentioned in interviews that this song was meant to appeal more to a broader fanbase (perhaps to increase their Korean fanbase, as B.A.P’s general hip-hop sound has appealed more to overseas fans), and it’s definitely worked for them so far, as this song gained them their first wins on Korean music broadcast shows. Individual song score: 9.5/10 3. Easy “Easy” is about someone who’s bitter over losing the person they’d loved; they’d thought it would be easy to live on without them, but later finds that it really is more difficult than they’d thought. It’s a melancholy song with a clear piano melody, accented by drums. This song really struck a chord within me, and I could easily feel the raw emotion expressed throughout the song. Again, I'm reminded of how grateful I am that Yongguk actually partakes in writing B.A.P’s songs, as he slips in a personal reference that could be overlooked by those who don’t know him—a tongue-in-cheek reference to his love of instant noodles. My one complaint is that this song has reverted back to the original formula of Himchan and Jongup having extremely few lines—some of the members have an excess of lines that could easily have been shuffled over to Himchan or Jongup without any problems. Individual song score: 9/10 4. Spy This song had me immediately thinking of Super Junior’s song of the same name when I first heard about it, and once I heard it, I was definitely reminded of the funky, brassy sound that both songs share (note that I am not accusing anyone of plagiarism; I'm merely drawing a conclusion that the songs have a similar vibe, and nothing more). I definitely got the mental image of the members creeping around corners in smartly pressed suits, spying on a girl they had their eye on. Although I didn’t personally like this song very much, I thought it was interesting for B.A.P to take on this kind of sound. Daehyun’s lines “you don’t know my name” and “I know who I am” sounded especially good. Conversely, I didn’t think Jongup’s thinner and higher-pitched vocals suited this song very well, and his lines stood out a bit oddly to me. Individual song score: 8/10 5. Check On Honestly, this was easily my least favorite song of the album, as the song as a whole didn’t seem to flow as easily as the others. The majority of the song seems a bit like a buildup but no real climax. The eventual feeling I got from this was that this seemed more suited to be an intro song than a full song. The lyrics aren’t bad, carrying along the vibes of the intro song with lyrics describing B.A.P’s difference and superiority over others—traditional hip-hop fare, although if this was meant to be an “Excuse Me” 2.0, I would have appreciated more punch in the instrumental. Individual song score: 7.5/10 6. Shady Lady From the title alone, this song definitely seems a little shady, but when you look at the lyrics, the meaning becomes clear and the song falls into a whole new light. The song depicts a man watching the woman he loves putting on makeup, wearing jewelry and fancy clothes, even though they don’t really suit her and she doesn’t really want to, and he tells her she’s beautiful anyways; this lends the song a bit of a Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are” sort of feeling. This was definitely directed as a morale-booster to B.A.P’s female fans, and the sentiment is much appreciated. Knowing B.A.P’s background, I feel a sincere message coming from them, as the members have stated before that looks don’t really matter as much to them as personality. The song has a simple, slightly jazzy melody with smooth vocals, making it an easy listening tune that I enjoyed. Individual song score: 9/10 7. Lovesick The lyrics of “Lovesick” describe someone who’s nervous about being in love with someone—heart fluttering, worrying about confessing, the whole nine yards. It’s a simple and pure love song, which seems like an odd choice for B.A.P, but they make it work in a way that’s not overly sappy. It does verge into the overly-sweet at some points, and reminds me a bit of a drama soundtrack song, but somehow I found myself really enjoying it. All the members have a chance to shine equally on this track, and I think it captures their innocent romantic side perfectly. Individual song score: 9.5/10 8. BANG x2 This song is a bit of an odd-one-out in the album—this is the only song that has primarily heavy metal rock as its base. However, it served as yet another example of B.A.P’s versatility as a group, right from its opening lines, sung by Yongguk, who has never previously sung in any of B.A.P’s songs. Himchan’s low, raspy voice seems right at home here, as do Youngjae’s husky vocals and Daehyun’s powerful singing. Jongup doesn’t have very many lines here, which is a bit of a shame. Zelo’s rap sounds like it’s been filtered through a megaphone (“Power” days, anyone?) which I thought was a bit of an odd choice, but it fits with the angry and energetic vibe they have going on. Individual song score: 9/10 9. S.N.S (Sexy N Special) This song describes a girl a girl who’s addictive and sucks you in, just like social media sites. There’s a consistent staticy-bass drop beat to it, which did get a bit annoying at times, since I'm not particularly fond of it. This song wasn’t one of my favorites, but it’s definitely catchy. There are some extremely questionable English lines in it—namely, Yongguk’s line “You’re like a hot chili sauce, I’m a nacho.” I can definitely see the analogy he’s making, but it definitely sounds more than a little off. This song manages to suit all the members’ voices except for Daehyun’s, which I found strange, as Daehyun’s voice is usually the one that’s most versatile. However, I felt like this song wasn’t particularly good for his vocal range, as his lines sounded mostly either like him talking, or him using a high screaming note. Individual song score: 8/10 10. Body & Soul If you thought S.N.S was raunchy, just take a look at the lyrics for Body & Soul—anyone can tell that it’s a sex song, plain and simple. With five out of the six members now adults (and Zelo soon to be one this October), it was only a matter of time before they started ramping up the suggestiveness of their songs. However, lyrics aside, this is a good song. It’s sensual without being totally in your face (and hey, Youngjae’s husky voice during his “touch” lines is bound to send more than one shiver down a fan’s spine), and has a soothing melody. An unexpected, but much appreciated touch was the surprise of Jongup singing the climax of the song, which definitely pushed his vocal range to new heights. Daehyun’s voice reaches higher notes than it ever has in previous songs as well—to the point where I’m honestly not sure if I should categorize it as singing or just screaming nicely (and I’m somehow reminded of the name of a certain cocktail, with the first work being “screaming” and the second starting with the letter “o.”) Individual song score: 8.5/10 11. Save Me “Save Me” is about someone who’s been traumatized by bad experiences regarding love, and his reaching out for someone to bring them out of their darkness. The song has a haunting instrumental in the verses and pre-chorus, but somehow ends up sounding more uplifting during the chorus, which I didn’t think flow particularly well. Youngjae’s lines “be careful I’m like fire” and “I won’t forget you liar” seem especially fitting for this song, as anyone who’s been hurt by love can relate. Zelo’s rap section is punctuated by an anguished growl, which somehow manages to worm its way in without making things cheesily angsty. Jongup dipping into his lower register was a welcome surprise (I nearly mistook his voice for Youngjae’s), and Himchan and Yongguk’s deep voices bring dimension to this track when paired with the others’ higher voices. Individual song score: 9/10 12. B.A.B.Y This song may or may not have been created after Yongguk made a promise to a fan that he would dedicate a song to BABYz (B.A.P’s official fanclub name), but the sentiment is clear nonetheless. Contrary to songs with lyrics about “falling in love at first sight,” this song is about someone who doesn’t pay much attention at first glance, but after continuing to see them, they realize that they’ve fallen in love. It’s a cute and fluffy song that’s easy to sing along to, and although sometimes the cheese factor borders on excessive, it’s clear to see the love that B.A.P has for their fans, even playing on the term “baby” as a name that someone calls their significant other as well as it being the name of their fanclub. Individual song score: 8.5/10 13. With You Although the lyrics of this song might seem like a love song, Yongguk has stated that it was meant to be more like a friendship promise, like that one best friend you have that will always be by your side and support your through anything. Like “B.A.B.Y,” it often borders on extremely cheesy, but manages to tug at the heartstrings. The members all have a chance to show off smoother and emotion-packed vocals compared to other songs on the album. It might not be big and impactful, but it makes for a beautiful closing song and serves as a sweet reminder that B.A.P’s music is here to stay. Individual song score: 9/10 General thoughts: I thought this album was solid. Not the best album ever to exist, but definitely an indication of how B.A.P’s grown musically and emotionally from their first single, Warrior. There’s a myriad of styles and genres on display here, and while many groups would have fallen flat at such a challenge, B.A.P manages to pull them all off with a natural and seasoned ease that belies their status as an only two-year-old group. The album was meant to showcase “thirteen different sensibilities” on each track, and I think they managed to portray that perfectly. I highly recommend this album to B.A.P fans, as well as anyone who may have been thrown off by B.A.P’s initial harder style, as this album captures their essence but presents them in a new light that appeals to broader audiences. Overall Grade: 87% - B+ By Emily Fong (guest author) SUBMIT YOUR OWN WRITING HERE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK |
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