The Melody Vol. 1 - The Melody
Shop for it:
(added from 1 site)
Added to 1 list
1 person is wishing for it
Description:
The Melody reminds me of Mary Poppins. Which is perhaps not what the typical indie rock band is aiming for in their music, but The Melody is certainly anything but typical. Genre labels like pop rock and indie pop really fail to...
See more »
The Melody reminds me of Mary Poppins. Which is perhaps not what the typical indie rock band is aiming for in their music, but The Melody is certainly anything but typical. Genre labels like pop rock and indie pop really fail to describe the band's bright and airy melodies and arrangements, soft sentiments with rough edges, and hardy, funky, endearing cheer. The Melody makes music that puts a spring in your step, great for a morning commute soundtrack. The closest equivalent that comes to me would be the J-pop act Section-S, but The Melody is even better. The album starts on a bounce with a busy, playful, circus-like opening instrumental track that channels happy thoughts and content smiles. The first song, Remember (Track 2), is clear, light, and pleasant with whimsical instrumentation and female vocalist Taru's distinctive voice leading the way. Chirpy notes, curious words, catchy beats, and dancing instrumentals layer and melt into each other in a perfectly charming and upbeat manner for a positively lovable number. The aptly titled whatever (Track 3) is even more carefree, blending curling vocals and a dash of R&B funk into an infectious, beat-heavy mid-tempo ballad. The song's "just whatever!" mood is wonderfully conveyed. beautiful day (Track 5) adds some extra sunshine to the day with soft, soothing chords and layered, echoing vocals that leap into rocking mode with guitar riffs, strong percussion, and cheerfully snarly attitude. Its follow-up, Good-bye (Track 6), provides a comfortable resting spot with a beautiful, lilting composition, strong guitar chords, and heartfelt lyrics. It feels like the kind of ballad that singers just don't make anymore, because it's hard to pull off the sentiments without descending into cliche. But The Melody succeeds in sounding genuine and expressive here. There's something about every song in this album that stands out and sticks with you. Paradise's (Track 4) soft lyrics are underlined with acoustic guitar and catchy beats, Crazy (Track 7) jumps in with a fast, frantic rhythm and dancing energy, and Doo be rap (Track 8) layers and echoes vocals and beats into a happy, yet haunting atmosphere. The superbly arranged Crave (Track 12) flows from whispery acoustics into an enveloping symphony of sounds and strings. Even Everything N'nothing (Track 10), which has a melody that screams Dong Bang Shin Ki karaoke ballad, becomes something completely unexpected and charming thanks to its jazzy arrangement and Taru's soft ad-lib singing style. Perhaps the most beautiful song on the album is Love box (Track 9), which was previously released as a single and exudes a comparatively slow and solemn mood that stands out starkly from the rest of the songs. Accompanied by clean guitar and piano chords, with strings gradually winding in, this lilting, legato ballad has an enchanting, heart-tugging quality to it. The melody (courtesy of keyboardist Go Woong, the band's main songwriter and lyricist) is simple, but speaks volumes. Again Taru's performance really excels in capturing the emotions of the song, particularly during the climactic line "oh my june!" which she croons out with a slight vibrato. Love box comes in two versions, Korean and English, although the latter is actually also primarily Korean but with an English opening verse. Like most of Korea's bands, The Melody has been largely under the radar, though they did get a big boost after singing the theme song for The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince (that's how I discovered them anyway). Hopefully the band's Mary Poppins cheer and buoyant tunes will reach more people because The Melody's debut album is definitely one of the best Korean albums of 2007.
See less »
Highlights:
List: US$18.99 Save: US$5.00 (26%)
Buy ityesasia.com
Comments (0)
Add a Comment: