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Although they haven't made much noise yet, I predict that Anthem will be incredibly popular with R&B fans. This new quartet introduces a solid interpretation of the R&B sound and is a nice alternative to all the rap groups releasing albums this season.

The first cut on their debut album, Byun Shim (A Changing Mind) [MP3], will probably be their first big single. Byun Shim [MP3] has a strong flow reminiscent of Boyz II Men. The harmony is sweet without being sticky, and the lyrics are pure and intelligible.

Eonjehnah Nehgyouteh (Always With Me) [MP3] opens with a cappella passage that shows off Anthem's talents for harmonizing. This song has a slightly quicker tempo than Byun Shim but retains the harmony in the chorus.

It's hard to find fault with Himdooreo (It's Hard) [MP3]. This is even more upbeat than Always With Me. The overall pitch of this song is higher than the ones that precede it on the CD. It's got lively background music that carries a pretty good groove through the track, and there is a decent rap section at the 2:00 mark.

Neol Gajil Soo Itdamoun (If I Could Have You) [MP3] returns to the R&B ballad format. This one has more of a lounge sound than the others, probably because of the orchestration of the background music. The hi-hat and ride cymbals are both swishy, and the guitar would fit well in a Vegas lounge act.

The orchestration is better in Joguhmdeo Gaggai (Closer) [MP3]. The percussion is a little more active (although the snare is still pretty light). I like the timbales, they give the song a bit of a latin feel. There are a few lines of English lyrics in this one, but overall, Anthem avoids the inclusion of English in their songs, giving their music a refreshing sound.

Hunjaman Sarang (One-Sided Love) [MP3] is a ballad based around individual voices that come together during the chorus. While this is a good song for highlighting the capabilities of each vocalist, it didn't grab me as the best ballad of all time. It's nice, but not spectacular.

Unfortunately, Anthem doesn't completely refrain from singing in English. You're the Only One [MP3] opens with a spoken passage with really clear English uttered in a deep, sexy voice, but the rest of the song is often unintelligible. I suspect their trying to reach a Korean-American fan base, and one or two of the members are obviously native English speakers, but the song still doesn't work very well. It's too bad, because otherwise it would be probably be a hit.

Yeok Sok (Promise) (Duet with Kim Hyo Soo) [MP3] is definitely the prettiest song on the CD. The addition of Kim Hyo Soo's voice is a plus. The duet has a soaring quality to it as their voices wax and wane throughout the track.

The classical guitar at the opening of Chooeogsogeh (In Memories) [MP3] is a great gambit. It's sets up a sultry, European mood for the rest of the song. The percussion is a little more interesting in this piece, straying from the monotony of a standard rock beat.

Jehbal (Please) [MP3] is a song for a party. Of all the songs on the CD, this one is the most likely to make people dance. With Korean pop, the dancing seems to be almost as important as the singing, so it's a wise move to include a song to which they could arrange some hot stage moves.

Jaewui (Seeing Again) [MP3] is so delicate it's almost like listening to a lullaby. The simplicity of this song is its strong point--for the most part, it consists of classical guitar and single male voice. Its tender, gentle tones are evocative of a fairy tale. I would buy this CD for this song alone.

By Denise Ahn

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