A review of f(x) albums due for local release
It was reported earlier on Yahoo! Philippines OMG! that f(x), one of K-Pop's most successful girl groups, will release their albums "Pinocchio" and "Hot Summer" locally. The Philippine release of f(x) albums is a victory for many K-Pop fans who think that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to this talented quintet.
When Victoria, Krystal, Sulli, Amber, and Luna debuted in 2009 with the digital single "LA chA TA," a good chunk of their activities circled around following Hallyu stars Girls' Generation leading many to conclude they would always be SME's second-class girl group. The fact that it took two years - an eternity in K-Pop - for f(x) to release a full-length didn't help. But was it worth the wait?
Before we delve deep into "Pinocchio: The First Album" and its repackaged update, "Hot Summer," I think it is important to underscore that f(x) has growth musically since the group's 2009 debut. While "LA chA TA" and follow-up "Chu~♡" were great tracks with electric synth undertones, the release of "Nu ABO" was probably the first single that put f(x) on the K-Pop map. The "make-up dance" that accompanied the irresistible dance track took Korea's female preteens and teens by storm; "Nu ABO" peaked at #1 on the Korean digital sales charts when released in May 2010. A year after "Nu ABO", the girls return with "Pinocchio."
So how does f(x) fare on "Pinocchio"? Well, the good news is this: if you are looking for K-Pop tracks that are musically irresistible, you may have come to the right place. The carrier single "Pinocchio (Danger)" is the perfect example of what we're talking about: a pulsing bass line, dark synths, a light string line, and playful guitars that float in and out of the track, all combine with a hypnotic melody line that makes up for its limited range by sheer hypnotic repetition. Never mind that the lyrics don't seem to make much sense - words like "macaroon," Columbus," "pastry," and "emerald" combine strangely, despite press releases that defend how the song is about love - it's fun to dance to, and arguably fun to sing along to, assuming you can get past the odd words. "Pinocchio (Danger)" proved its worth when it bagged f(x) its first musical chart show award, a "Music Bank" win. The girls all contribute: Victoria preens, Krystal vamps, Luna belts, Sulli continues to deliver her own strange musical version of aegyo ("cute antics"), and, well, there's Amber.
What can I say about Amber? Amber literally raps for eight seconds on "Pinocchio (Danger)," but she stamps her personality and street cred all over the song. In my opinion, the blonde-haired tomboy is the secret ingredient that sets f(x) apart from all other girl groups, female rappers notwithstanding. There are many talented female rappers in Korean girl groups - 2NE1's CL, Secret's Zinger, and Wonder Girls' Yubin come to mind - but there is something about Amber's vocals and ambiguous sexuality, especially when contrasted with Victoria, who just bursts with sex appeal, that make up an essential part of f(x). There is clearly a reason why f(x) waited almost a year for Amber to heal before it made a comeback. Her influence and importance to "Pinocchio (Danger)" is clear, despite the absence of singing opportunities.
Take the mid-tempo dance track "Gangsta Boy," for instance. The girls' voices are doctored to almost T-Pain levels, making it tough to distinguish the girls' vocals from each other - well, Luna sings the high notes, what else is new? - but Amber's rich vocals contribute more than just the mandatory "My gangsta, my gangsta" all over the track. It stands out as a voice that is least edited. The R&B/dance strains of "My Style" also give secondary rapper Sulli a chance to stretch her rap muscles, and she does it satisfactorily, but when Amber comes in, she unfortunately just blows Sulli out of the water. When Amber is given a chance to shine in a track, it is decidedly f(x); when she takes the back seat, if one were to close one's eyes, it would be tough to distinguish f(x) from the ever-growing roster of girl groups out there. In an industry that is already saturated by too many idol groups, f(x) needs to step it up and set themselves apart. And right now, if "Pinocchio" is any indication, what sets f(x) apart is Amber Liu.
Listening to "Pinocchio" there are plenty of winning tracks. In addition to the aforementioned "Pinocchio (Danger)," "Gangsta Boy," and "My Style," which showcase Amber, many other tracks make "Pinocchio" a worthy purchase. "Sweet Witches" has a catchy keyboard riff and synth bass that would easily charm any teenage girl (even as they sing about hexing a boy they're interested in. There's the minor-chord-driven, almost James Bond-y "Dangerous," which cements the appeal of its mysterious feel with matching secret agent sound effects. Yes, it does sound dangerous, were it not for the cutesy squeals with which the girls punctuate the end of each verse.
K-Pop has its own particular style of light pop and this is not missing in f(x). The sweet harmony-layered "Is It OK?," "Stand Up" with its irresistible "Hello hello" chorus and Luna's somewhat long power note, and the expertly tweaked synth-driven dance track "Love" pleases.
I can't help but be underwhelmed by "Lollipop" featuring SHINee. Both groups deserve more than a rehash of an earlier song! Meanwhile, "Beautiful Goodbye" is the gem of "Pinocchio: The First Album." A revival of the original English ballad by Kasey Butler, f(x) improves on the original by utilizing Luna's sweet alto and drenching the song in sweet harmonies. While "So Into U" is not a bad ballad, the quality of the production and vocals on "Beautiful Goodbye" trumps it.
It's no secret that the hallyu wave is heavily geared on making K-Pop albums that combine several great tracks together. Musical cohesion takes a back seat. "Pinocchio" accomplishes that. The up-tempo tracks are unmistakably designed to stick to your brain while the ballads are designed to reveal the talented vocals that lie underneath the shockingly high amount of auto-tune.
"Pinocchio" comes with a beautifully designed photobook enough to satisfy f(x)'s main audience—teen girls (and boys). If you decide to get the repackaged version, "Hot Summer," you get a completely different photobook of the girls in hot red and three additional tracks including f(x) singles "LA chA TA," "Chu~♡," and "Hot Summer."
f(x) fans will probably want to get both. If your budget dictates you can only buy one album, I would personally recommend you choose "Hot Summer" over "Pinocchio" because you get more music for your money but if you already have those additional tracks, the album jacket of "Pinocchio" is truly superior to "Hot Summer". Take your pick!
