The K-rock band Eve consists of two regular members, Kim Se Heon and Gorilla, plus two "guest" members, Park Woon and Kim Gun. On Eve's second album, Eros, Kim Se Heon and Gorilla are responsible for the vocals (Kim Se Heon is the lead). Park Woon is the hot lead guitarist and Kim Gun is playing the bass. As a unit, they've produced one of the most solid rock albums out of South Korea this summer.
Muse (Intro) is one of the few introductory tracks in gayo with any purpose. It shows off the guitars and gives the listener an idea of what to expect on the album. I'm not quite sure why they need to sing "I need somebody to love" in English, but overall the vocals in this song (and on the entire album) have a clarity lacking in other K-rock groups.
What a cool song--the second cut from the album,
[RealAudio]. They remind me of an old Chef Boyardee commercial. The song is pretty groovy, though, despite the corny opening.
Haengbookhae (I Am Happy) is evocative of an Erasure or Depeche Mode ballad (a good thing). The harmony is tight, and the keyboards work well in their opening/supporting role. I thought the cymbals were a little bright (and the snare a little light), but it wasn't a big distraction. The guitar at 2:11 really rocks.
The rhythm behind Naenoonul Gajyeogah (Take My Eyes) is sharper than in the previous songs. This song has a harder edge and a more traditional rock sound. Again, the vocals are clear and intelligible. This is the third song with an obvious clarion--the members of Eve must really like the chimes.
Sony (Girl) is a ballad (again, the chimes play a role in the melody). The dominant lead guitar slices through the bridges between chorus and verse. Monologue, a second ballad on the album, has a really sweet opening. I think I prefer this one to Sony.
The beginning to Together is truly too funny. Listening to it, I felt like I just fell into Spice World or some similarly frightening place. I didn't have too many problems imagining the Spice Girls doing this song. Oddly, I think Fastball or the Barenaked Ladies could also carry it off.
The ninth track, am 01:00, starts out with that distant, tinny sound usually meant to represent music being piped over the radio. This has a contemporary rock beat, also reminiscent of the Barenaked Ladies. The cymbals seem too bright throughout the album, and this song is no exception.
The closing cut, Instrument (Outro) sounds like something off a Carpenters album from the 1970s. It's really pretty, but not really what I expected after listening to a K-rock CD. This is essentially a duet between the flute and the chimes.
