Tasaeja in 2000-1
Lee Dong Yoon, Kim Hyung Jun, Park Jun Suk and Kim Young Min comprise the group Tasaeja. After a six-month absence, this foursome has a new album out entitled Taesaja 2000-1.
2000-1 opens with Memory [MP3], a ballad with some bounce. Fans will be singing along with this one. It is a little up-tempo from their earlier ballads like Blue Birthday [MP3], which was a slow dance song all the way through. The next cut, Techno Time, as its name implies, has a racing, techno beat. For this one, the boys fired up their synthesizers, set the electric drums to the quickest tempo possible, and started singing. Track three is Magic [MP3], the opening of which takes me back to 1980s pop when Madonna was striking a pose. After this beginning, the song then loses another decade and turns into a 1970s disco love song.
Vanessa [MP3] starts off like a club song with a technorave beat before segueing into a happy pop song. If you've ever listened to any of the Soviet era rock off the Melodia label, you'll recognize this sound. In tempo, it is very close to Ageojak [MP3] off Taesaja-2. Track five, Let's Go [MP3], really goes for a rock-n-roll sound. You could get away with doing a foxtrot to this song, but the swing might be more in keeping with its sound. Fans of Ae Shim [MP3] off Taesaja-2 will also appreciate this song.
Track six is the ballad Neomaneul. Ballads have always been a strong part of Taesaja's recording. For instance, Come Together [MP3], from Taesaja-1 was very strong with an elegant piano line. I don't think Neomaneul is going to measure up to that, but it's a nice song, nonetheless. Shi opens with a dramatic, slightly orchestral beginning. This song follows the dominant structural pattern in gayo today, that is ballad overlade with rap.
Give My Heart Back to Me [MP3] brings the listener back to the quicker tempo that characterizes a lot of 1990s pop. The synthesizer takes the bass line on the chorus. There isn't a lot of bass used in Korean pop, so this allusion to it stood out in my mind.
With track nine, Taesaja attempts what few musicians have courage to do: a remake of a Beatles' song. Man's Story [MP3] is a rap song based on "Hey, Jude." It may turn out to be a big hit simply because the "Hey, Jude" motif is so familiar and easy to follow.
Love Letter [MP3] is a nice little romantic bit. Right away it reminded me of a recent Bijou song, and then later in the song it reminded me of a H.O.T. release. I wasn't swept away by it, nor was I overwhelmed with Jageunpalaem [MP3]. It's not a bad song, and in fact has a hint of a Latino beat to give it character. It probably won't be the big hit off the album, though.
The final cut, Without [MP3] brings the CD to a close with a good sound. The Spanish trumpet, heard prominently at the outset of the song, appears throughout the rest of piece. The foot-tapping quality of Without might evoke memories of their hits off Taesaja-2, Ae Shim [MP3].
By Denise Ahn
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