For K-Pop & J-Pop Lovers

I can just feel y’all rolling your eyes at me at GD & TOP’s album name. But come on, really, does anyone else know the title of this album??! Haha, I’ve heard some people referring to it as High High but I think that was just the name of the digital single they released prior to the album. But would a rose called by any other name not smell as sweet?? (I think that’s how the quote goes haha haven’t read Shakespeare in a while, so forgive my social faux pas). What I’m trying to say is the album is still great despite what it might be called, so let’s begin with the reviewing process.

I’m not a HUGE BIGBANG fan. I got into K-Pop a little after they stopped promoting and moved onto Japan, but I liked some of their previous huge hits and most of their Japanese singles. I especially enjoyed Taeyang’s SOLAR album and G-Dragon’s Heartbreaker. So I had nothing but high hopes for GD&TOP’s album and luckily they didn’t disappoint.

INTRO – Ha, I love how blunt and to-the-point the title is. You know I gotta admit that this song didn’t have me hooked at all when I began listening to the album is was too hardcore rap for me. But listening to it more and more I do really enjoy it now, you have to listen to it a few times to truly catch all the nuances in the song that really make you like this song. Not only that but it does what intros are supposed to do, introduce by giving you a small preview of what’s to come. My favorite part is 1:43 on when G-Dragon goes Lalala~ that makes me so happy but then it ends D: Still a great intro now that I’ve listened to the album more than twice.

HIGH HIGH – AHH so much fun! Electro-hip-hop can life get any better? Also I love that little voice in the background going 1, 2, 3. So cute. Not my favorite on the album and not even on the digital single but it does well as a title track. It’s entertaining and shows facets of both G-Dragon and T.O.P’s rapping styles very well. I love when they perform this song as well.

4/5

OH YEAH (feat. Park Bom) – NKDSBFKBNKFN  KJBDFK THIS IS THE SONG! The song that gave me such high hopes for this album. SO GOOD. Bom OMG you are so perfect in this song I just wanna give you everything you could ever want. That falsetto when she sings “like this” UGH I DIE! G-Dragon why are you so goddamn catchy?? T.O.P why are you so much fun to listen to. Why is this song so much fun??? I wanna say oh yeah when I listen to this. If you could only listen to one song from this album make it this one.

5/5

집에 가지마/Don’t Go Home – G-Dragon…singing. WTF. Wow it’s not bad though! It’s actually just so rare and it’s SO good in this song! It’s very soft and smooth and that’s exactly what this song is supposed to be. Very sexy, and wow I just can’t get over the fact that GD’s singing! T.O.P compliments him perfectly. Very rough gruff voice against GD’s very sweet (yes I said sweet) and mellow singing. Haha I love when T.O.P says “Cinderella~” and then later on in the song GD comes back to start the whole rapping thing with T.O.P and it almost sounds conversational! I want the translation NOW. But I love this song, it’s definitely a far cry from INTRO and HIGH HIGH but still so full of positive energy.

5/5

BABY GOOD NIGHT – Ahh wow after the last song I’m so prepared for this one just as mellow and smooth, only more so. There’s interesting instrumentals here. Kinda like only one string on a guitar is being constantly strung beneath this mellow light beat that’s makes this very R&B. There’s some really interesting French inserted as well near the end. Is it CL? Hmm I love it though. Ugh I lost my USB cord and was thinking of this song in the mall when I passes this little French boutique and wanted to listen this so bad!

4.5/5

뻑이가요/Knocking Out – Very laid-back but you can feel that there’s been a shift in the album here. No more R&B but down to it hip-hop, it’s catchy but I feel like its lacking energy. Another reason for that may be the lack of beats or any music in the background relying solely on T.O.P’s and GD’s flow. Ugh I really want a translation for this. DOUBLE BUBBLE~ interesting haha

3.5/5

OH MOM – LOVE LOVE LOVE. SO GOOD. This is T.O.P’s solo and can I just say WOW and leave it at that? It was a huge surprise when I first heard it and I’d like this to be everyone’s surprise on this album, because it’s so different and unexpected (but AMAZINGLY unexpected). This is definitely my favorite of the solos.

5/5

악몽/Nightmare – It’s in the same ominous realm that T.O.P’s OH MOM originated from but you can just feel G-Dragon all over this one with all the production behind it. It has very interesting elements to it and truthfully I wasn’t completely feeling it until the 0:53 mark when GD truly begins singing/rapping. Somewhere in the in between area. This song is slightly tinged by rock elements but still manages to maintain it’s hip-hop origins. I really can’t explain this song, but it’s dark and makes for a very interesting listen. So do so, it’s one of the more engrossing songs on the album. Hehe I also love the counting in Spanish. Makes me feel special 😀

5/5

오늘따라/Especially Today – Back to T.O.P, still kinda dark and ominous but a little lighter. But I can say he didn’t disappoint at all with these no solos of his. I really wasn’t feeling the beginning until the chorus. The chorus IS SO GOOD. It has a very melodious quality that I didn’t think T.O.P capable of. After the chorus even the rapping gets more power and flow to it. And again you can feel the rock influences throughout the end of this album.

5/5

어쩌란 말이냐?/What Do You Want Me to Do? – G-Dragon what do you want me to do???!!! REALLY THIS SONG. Why? Ugh I really don’t like it. It sounds very country hill-billy. I’m sure if you’re into that you’ll love this but I don’t. It does have the ability to sound catchy at parts though so the score won’t be that bad.

3/5

Turn It Up – Was never fan of this song for some reason but it’s not bad.

3/5

OVERALL RATING: 4.5/5