And so it was with those adorably sexy Happy Entertainment girls DAL SHABET, as each and every release of theirs has shown me more and more how AWESOME they are! After a month of immersing myself in Dal Shabet goodness, I thought I’d take the time to gush a little about some of my standout faves from each CD!
Supa Dupa Diva
Hard to believe Dal Shabet started off their career with this wacky song that reminds me more of “Martian Hop” by the Galaxies than the “Next Girls Generation”(which is what they were referred to then), thankfully when the title track bursts out, you can instantly hear the catchy pop sensibilities E-Tribe is known for.
Besides the bouncy title track, probably my favorite song off of their debut album has to be “Hottie(Very Charming)”, a very stadium-stomping cheerleader-ish song with such a kickin’ beat!
Besides the bouncy title track, probably my favorite song off of their debut album has to be “Hottie(Very Charming)”, a very stadium-stomping cheerleader-ish song with such a kickin’ beat!
I already loved it from the first time I heard it, but when I discovered there actually Fancams of the girls PERFORMING the song, it took it to a whole new level of COOL! The video and audio quality of these fancams may be so-so, but the energy and PASSION of the song comes through just fine! In fact, I'd say a good part of what made me love Dal Shabet so much WAS their fancam videos!
Pink Rocket
Though the vocals for “Pink Rocket” remind me a bit of Miki Berinyi and Emma Anderson of beloved shoegazer group LUSH, the overall feeling of this song still reminds me of the aforementioned “Martian Hop” vibe, complete with Sci-Fi laboratory bubbling and gurgling...Feels a lot like they were still finding out exactly what concept the group was going to take. Still, like the debut album before, it managed to have a few tracks that I just LOVED, like “Rolling Fallin” and the happy “Just Stop”, another fave song I was pleasantly surprised to realize had amazing fancam footage of them performing live!!!
One thing I think it's worth pointing out is how everyone's personalities really show through in these performances, You can see Viki as the authoritative leader, Jiyul as the bubbly girl, Ayoung as the young cutie, and OMG, Serri as the HOT Sex Kitten of the group! Sooo different compared to later when she assumed the leader mantle from Viki.
Bling Bling
Aw man, this is the album where I feel the girls truly became the “Dal Shabet” I knew and loved - catchy pop tunes backed with a decidedly 80’s alternative sound (hinted at in Pink Rocket), the songs saturated with techno keyboard loops, phased vocals and OH! Such CATCHY TUNES!!!
Though tracks like Moonlight and Dream in U are catchy pop tunes, special mention MUST be made for the track “Bling Bling”itself…MAN, how I LOVE this song!
Funny, when I first heard it, with the girls merrily chirping what sounded to me like “Topiko! Topiko! Bullybullybullybully Pikko!”, I had pretty much the same reaction I had the time I first heard “Bo Peep Bo Peep” by T-ara, which was simply “What is up with this silly, SILLY Chipmunk-sounding song?!”
But just like Bo Peep before them, it only took a few listens into the song with its cool late80’s/early90’s techno keyboard beats and grooves before I realized what an awesomely constructed pop masterpiece it was!
And if the song alone wasn’t enough, that sacred thing called the FANCAM came along and once again took my appreciation of Bling Bling UP to another level! Soooo many awesome, awesome clips of the girls doing this song, both with Viki as well as Woohee, and GOD, I love them all!
And if the song alone wasn’t enough, that sacred thing called the FANCAM came along and once again took my appreciation of Bling Bling UP to another level! Soooo many awesome, awesome clips of the girls doing this song, both with Viki as well as Woohee, and GOD, I love them all!
HIT U
Continuing their outward development comes the hardest album the girls have released, both in tone, attitude, and physical looks. HIT U, as I've mentioned earlier, was the first song I'd ever heard from the girls, strangely enough, it just didn't grab my attention back then. But when I listen to it NOW, I am BLOWN AWAY by how freaking FIERCE this song is! Really, I can't believe I wasn't made an instant fan when I first heard this, but I suppose I was really trying to hear more "girly" pop stuff at the time.
One thing that really stunned me watching this song now is how much Jiyul is the "center" of the group, as Serri, Viki and Subin were usually the main focus. And speaking of Viki, HIT U was to be her last album before moving onto a solo career (and later, as we now know, a news reporter!)
Besides the hard rockin' “Hit U”, the features a number of equally brilliantly penned tracks, including a remix of "Dream In U" and a sweet song called"Chu Ma Boy" which I liked even more when Ayoung mentioned she had it as her ringtone on TICKTALK, now I always think about her when I hear it!
One thing that really stunned me watching this song now is how much Jiyul is the "center" of the group, as Serri, Viki and Subin were usually the main focus. And speaking of Viki, HIT U was to be her last album before moving onto a solo career (and later, as we now know, a news reporter!)
Besides the hard rockin' “Hit U”, the features a number of equally brilliantly penned tracks, including a remix of "Dream In U" and a sweet song called"Chu Ma Boy" which I liked even more when Ayoung mentioned she had it as her ringtone on TICKTALK, now I always think about her when I hear it!
Bang Bang
Okay, I Love all these albums, but the "Bang Bang" album which has (just like SNSD's The Boys and Girls And Peace albums) become night-time cruising music is a full–on masterpiece! This is the first release to feature new member Woohee (though Viki's singles Supa Dupa Diva, Pink Rocket, Bling Bling, Hit U are included here) and it looks like with her addition,we've come back to the cute and FUN Dal Shabet of old!
Enter Dal Shabet/Come Closer
Man, what an AWESOME way to begin the album! With a sound that really sounds like queens entering the promenade, the girls come out and begin singing the refrains from their aforementioned singles before launching into a “come on”, as they urge you to get up out of your seat and get ready to boogie! I’ve always said that a big part of what makes K-pop sound so catchy to me is the Korean language, and as they continually repeat the chorus
“Dagawa bwa dagawa dagawa bwa
Dagawa bwa dagawa dagawa bwa
Dagawa dagawa dagawa bwa
Mangseori ji malgo naege dagawa?”
“Dagawa bwa dagawa dagawa bwa
Dagawa bwa dagawa dagawa bwa
Dagawa dagawa dagawa bwa
Mangseori ji malgo naege dagawa?”
It sounds SO melodically pleasing to my ears!
Mr. Bang Bang
The album's namesake, this catchy ditty is the heart of Dal Shabet- cute, sexy and FUN!It was THIS song that put Dal Shabet on my "map" as it were, and I remember after watching this, going online seeking out (and loving) each and every performance I could find of it! I still hadn't become a MAJOR FAN yet, but I was really liking 'em LOTS! Girls in Cowgirl outfits and cut-off Denim Shorts? Yippee-Ki-Yi-Yay!
After the perfect tones of “Mr Bang Bang, we have two back-to-back dance tunes with “Girls Girls Girls” and “Disco Time” followed by the sweet perfect pop song "Love Shake" (which sounds sooooo much like KARA), and MAN, the opening monologue where Jiyul begins with a breathy "Baby! Don’t Let Me!" it is SO DAMN CUTE!
Mr. Bang Bang
The album's namesake, this catchy ditty is the heart of Dal Shabet- cute, sexy and FUN!It was THIS song that put Dal Shabet on my "map" as it were, and I remember after watching this, going online seeking out (and loving) each and every performance I could find of it! I still hadn't become a MAJOR FAN yet, but I was really liking 'em LOTS! Girls in Cowgirl outfits and cut-off Denim Shorts? Yippee-Ki-Yi-Yay!
After the perfect tones of “Mr Bang Bang, we have two back-to-back dance tunes with “Girls Girls Girls” and “Disco Time” followed by the sweet perfect pop song "Love Shake" (which sounds sooooo much like KARA), and MAN, the opening monologue where Jiyul begins with a breathy "Baby! Don’t Let Me!" it is SO DAMN CUTE!
Then the smooth ballad with “Without You, I…” which sets us up for what I call the “Singles Suite”, Hit U, Supa Dupa Diva and Pink Rocket.
Then we come to "Many Boys”… I have NO IDEA why, but for some STRANGE reason this is one of my VERY FAVORITE tracks of the album! Maybe it’s the songs awesome drum beat throughout or the frantic singing, but this song (with so much cool swagger- a song where the girl turns the tables on a player-type boyfriend, telling him he’s just “one of so many more boys”) is the one I’m always waiting for whenever I spin it!
Then after that it goes into my beloved “Bling Bling” to bring the album to a close before capping it off with the rocking “Mirror”.
MAN, what a fantastic album!!!
Have, Don’t Have
Starting the album off with one of Dal Shabet's prettiest and most gentle songs, "For Darling" is the group's ode to their trustworthy fanbase reminiscent of KARA's "Dear Kamilia" and just as heartfelt! I love the girls' vocals on this one.
Have, Don't Have/
Have Don't Have Electro Swing Remix
When Have Don't Have was released, I was only aware of the "regular" version and it wasn't until I became a fan and started downloading their MVs that I realized there were in fact TWO versions of the song, the straight forward one, and a VERY catchy retro-disco version! At first I was pained to think maybe they hadn't released this version, or if they did, I'd have to find it off some OST or other, SOOO happy to see that this remix was included on the album!
Probably my Favorite track, "Don't Touch!" is a super fun and catchy song with the bemusing chorus of “I’m very Fragile Baby, Ooooh, Don’t Touch!” And when you consider Rainbow's latest album has their OWN track called Don't Touch, one must conclude that these K-pop idol girls would rather their beaus keep their hands to themselves! LOLOL
Falling In Love
Oooh, I just love the sound and feel of this song- Begins as a traditional K-pop Ballad, but there's this sort of a 70's soft soul sound to the choruses, actually, it's very reminiscent to me of a specific 70's song, but i just CAN'T put my finger on it! Young Rascals or Olivia Newton John, perhaps? Just love the vocals on this one, so sweet!!
Be Ambitious!
And then of course we come to the album and song that sparked the whole Dal Shabet MANIA for me, the girls’ wonderful ode to those sexy legs of theirs, Be Ambitious, or “Look At My Legs!” I liked the song immediately, but it was seeing the girls hawking the CD as they performed “Dalshabet Girls” (and seeing how cool the album package looked) that I said, "MAN! I’mma NEED to GET that! I was hoping the other songs would be as good as Be Ambitious and I wasn’t disappointed! In interviews the girls mentioned that they had a hand in co-writing some of the songs, maybe that’s why the album sound like so much FUN! Perfect Summertime music with Serri’s danceable “Let It Go”. Jiyul’s cute “Hey Mr Chu!”and Kaeun’s song “Summer Break”! Rounding off the album with the WooHee penned Summer Romantic song “Maybe” and you’ve got yourself another pefect release!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com
