As a spin-off to my Battle of the B-sides feature, I’m pleased to announce the arrive of “Battle of the Title Tracks!” In this feature, I’ll be pitting three K-pop title tracks/singles against each other and choosing a winner. These songs will mostly be from pre-2016 since I’ll try to focus on music I haven’t yet written about on the blog.
As always, the competition is all in good fun. Most importantly, I hope you discover (or re-discover) some great songs!
Battle of the Title Tracks: Round Four
Hyolyn – Lonely (2013)
Hyolyn made her solo debut quite early in Sistar’s career, releasing a pair of title tracks to showcase various sides of her musical persona. Lonely is the more reserved of the two – a gentle, piano-driven mid-tempo. Usually, I’d be tempted to call this type of song “dull” or “snoozy,” but Hyolyn elevates the softness of the sound with her beautifully breathy vocals. She’s one of my all-time favorite K-pop vocalists – instantly recognizable and always compelling. The same could be said for much of Sistar, really. How lucky were we to have them? With that said, she’s released much stronger solo material since this came out.
Hooks
8
Production
7
Longevity
8
Bias
8
RATING
7.75
PSY – It’s Art (2011)
When thinking of PSY’s music, it’s easy to pigeonhole him into some comedic, meme-making role. However, songs like It’s Art reveal a deeper musicality and surprising level of sentiment. The song is among his most anthemic, melding dancefloor energy with insistent symphonic heft. The piano arpeggio that drives most of the track is instantly memorable, giving the instrumental tons of character. The song surges and swells with utter confidence, blossoming into a knockout chorus that sees PSY belting at the top of his lungs. And just after pulling back for a softer bridge, It’s Art climaxes in the greatest of pop music tricks: a triumphant key change.
Hooks
9
Production
10
Longevity
10
Bias
9
RATING
9.5
Super Junior – Don’t Don (2007)
It’s been fascinating to hear how some elements of SM Entertainment’s much-venerated “SMP” hybrid genre have continued to make their way into the agency’s current roster. The blistering mix of pop, rock and hip-hop was at its peak from about 2004-2014 and echoed a daring idol sound that was prevalent in many east Asian markets at the time. Just listen to Taiwan’s Energy if you don’t believe me! Don’t Don might not hold together as well as a legendary track like Rising Sun, but it’s cut from the same cloth. Hard rock guitar collides with programmed dance beats and even a violin solo to forge a real showstopper. The layered chorus is so satisfying.
Hooks
9
Production
10
Longevity
9
Bias
9
RATING
9.25
My Verdict:
The winning track of this edition is PSY’s It’s Art!
Readers, what do you think? Leave your own ranking in the comments!