JYJ - In Heaven release
I wrote this "review" when the album was released and re-posting it here (even though it's been out for a while now LOL).
So JYJ came out with a "new" (in quotations b/c mostly all but 3 songs were previously released already - the 4th "new" one was a single which I can understand but the rest were already on a mini album before lol) album and I'm honestly IN LOVE with the title song. I've actually been waiting for this album to hit -all year- and for the title song's studio version (they've performed them live already) for a good 4+ months. Needless to say, my waiting paid off in the end and in my opinion, it was in a big way. XD
(you may need to turn CC on and/or annotations off to see the subs on this vid)
Click to viewSo I don't usually write this much when I just post a song... honestly I don't write this much period on the journals unless something's irk'd me. LOL And even more honestly I'd be shocked if more than perhaps one or two people even read this at all :P But this title song is just AMAZING.
Firstly, the song itself was written and composed by Jaejoong from the group and his stuff's usually pretty emotional/powerful anyway - but In Heaven was written and composed not too long after a friend of his died and from what I understand it's somewhat dedicated to that friend. The circumstances alone make it both awkward and emotional to hear anyway.
Secondly, the lyrics are just really, really powerful. They seem so simplistic but manage to capture that helpless, self-blaming moment everyone feels during times of loss to PERFECTION and the composition of the song / lyrics and their vocals with the arrangement it's in *really* captures that moment of desperation/pain/learning to cope/missing someone - it's still pretty but it's just *powerful* on a level not too many (western, at any rate) songs are anymore.
Thirdly - the vocals themselves. JYJ is always obviously great with vocals - for anyone who doesn't know already they're actually 3 members from one of the most popular acapella/live singing groups in Korea and in all honesty at least 90% of the time they manage to completely outdo their own work in the studio when they sing live. They just have a way of making every note they sing seem *tangible* - so rich with emotion the not-so-casual listener can actually feel like they could reach out and literally touch it - with every song.
I'd say this is probably the 2nd song of theirs since the group split (hopefully not forever.. AKTF <3) that just really hits home in a big way second only to their song "W" for me. Don't get me wrong, I love ALL of their music (with the exception of an unfortunate featuring by Kanye West on Ayy Girl from their English/Worldwide album release... I like the song, I don't like Kanye, enough said. Thankfully there's always the remix of it without Kanye in it. XD LOL), but this and W both hit me in ways I can't even begin to explain.
Lastly - the MV itself. Junsu's acting is just perfect to me. Acting really isn't something he's done a whole lot, but I think he should probably change that after seeing his musicals and this MV. lol The storyline/plot in the MV was really touching and totally captures what I'm sure everyone feels after loss - wanting to go back and change things. And I like that it ends with a not-so-typical-but-Shakespearean-esque ending. Tragic but heartwarming and happy despite the circumstances. In all honesty I felt like I'd just seen a very, very short movie/drama in the just under 7 minutes time it took to watch the MV and it left me a little more emotional than I really thought it would. I liked that.
And as an added bonus - the fandom is hilariously amazing for dubbing Junsu's (already ducky) butt as "the heroic flying duck butt" LOL
So yeah that's my rant for today LOL JYJ just rocks.. the album's amazing... I've waited for freakin' ever for this song in a studio version and I wasn't disappointed in the least when I got it. (Although I'd still say their live versions managed to outdo it, somehow. lol) All of which combined has made me a happy!Addy <3