Kim Sarang - U-Turn (2007)

Kim Sarang (김사랑)

U-Turn (2007)

1. U-Turn
2. 괜찮아
3. 히스테리
4. 위로
5. 하루살이
6. 2등
7. Yellow Planet
8. Mad Al
9. Mud Candy
10. 비오는 날 

This album is easily the best 'public ear' album that Kim Sarang released. I once stumbled across a production video of him producing this album, impressively it was an one-man band production: from creating the tracks to mixing them and then to have them published. The two that released prior to this album and the EPs that released after this one are slightly intense, hence the 'public ear' and ~first time rock genre listener-friendly~ category I've listed this album in, also, my favourite. Public-ear. 

The instrumental intermission tracks: U-Turn and Mad Al are really good transitions especially the latter. It merges with Mud Candy and the grainy outro was really nice. I love intermission tracks that reciprocate with the next track. The balladish-easy-rock tracks: 위로 and 괜찮아 are certainly where the 'public-ear' category comes in, to me. These tracks are the type where they will have you listen to it till the end though he's an unknown singer to you. Not too mediocre to pass but nothing too impressive. Most of the times these are the songs that keep you all up curious and then realising he has more in stores for you, Kim Sarang is one of those artists.

My favourites are the bolded ones. I really like 히스테리 the most where the verses are kept crisp and the chorus comes in right away. It's an intenser rock track compared with the title tracks, the screamo didn't feel too forceful (I am very sensitive with screamo, preferences) since he was building the song and it came in right in time, it was wonderful. The off-major whispering at the bridge introduction was so alluringly done, I have a soft spot with singing like that. Yeah I kinda like Psychedelic; and the lyrics kept going 'I want you' which is quite heart-wrenching. This track is definitely contentedly better than 위로 and 괜찮아, but not as much as 2등 - the typical filler track with loads of sample sound effects thrown here and there but the picture is nicely drawn.

When Mud Candy's first chorus hits in it was disappointing, but good save with the short pause and the addictive guitar and drum beat at the ending of the song for closure. 2nd favourite is the outro track: 비오는 날, the one and only single instrumented starting song in the album. Not just the soothing vocals but the polished, velvety, and tranquillising feeling that the song gives, well since it's called 'The Day When It Rains'. The outro of the track is pretty odd and it doesn't annoy, probably I've accustomed to it because I used to loop this track, I wonder which movie did he excerpt from.

Side note, ICU from his 2013 part one release was adorable (comment highly influenced by the music video where he was blonde and a cute zombie), which I didn't expect that adjective would be used on him (twice). He'll be having a concert too this year end! It's so nice to see him kinda rerouting his path and actively performing.






Anyway, I've been watching Superstar K6 here and there which initially rooting for 김필 (Kim Feel) but wow 곽진언(Gwak Jineon) catches with his 소격동 (Seo Taiji's 2014 release) cover. The change of genre fits in his staple vocal so much better, not that the original (IU) version isn't on par with this but in preference Gwak's version suits the lyrics so much. Must be the verse he arranged for the closure that heightens the song, the usage of it in the original version was only a breeze. The shift of point brings so much joy to me, cover songs are so fun to listen to.

I'm reflecting for my bad habit of not taking my non-favourites seriously.

I don't know who am I rooting for now but I kinda want the competition to go on longer so there's more explosions. My favourite now is the love song themed 10cm composition:

And then of course the Dear Cloud cover (I can't resist Dear Cloud):

Yeay for 2nd post after two years.