DBSK Ramblings: JYJ [Part 1]
I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to pinpoint specific differences between JYJ, HoMin, and the old DBSK just to get my own thoughts organized (which is hard to do when everyone is constantly freaking out). Well here it goes: JYJ
JYJ has done a lot since July 31st, 2009. Some stuff has worked out and some stuff hasn’t. I was comfortable with them leaving SM and seeking refuge with Avex. I had always trusted Avex and thought everyone down there was really cool, but alas business is business and JYJ got booted out of Avex to be replaced with a barrage of SM artists including HoMin. From there they went to C-Jes, a company that I believed to be rather incapable of doing anything right (and in a way I was correct). Since the lawsuit started I’ve thought that JYJ has done some really good and some really stupid stuff, but nobody’s perfect.
Some stuff that pissed me off: JYJ accepting the award at the end of year ceremonies in 2009, the orange sea at A-Nation (although I quickly got my facts straight and got over that), releasing their first album as JYJ (what? i was very sensitive back then)
Some stuff that made me happy: JYJ in NYC paaaartaaay, being able to find a company that fit their needs quickly after the whole Avex fiasco, hearing that they had no regrets.
MUSIC
One of the things I like about the direction JYJ’s music is heading is the fact that they are now writing a good amount of their songs and as a result are able to sing about the things that they are feeling as opposed to other composers handing them stuff to sing. It may have taken seven years but now they’ve reached a level of artistic freedom that I would assume was unattainable in SM. None of the songs they’ve had since the lawsuit has brought on the same intensity that was common in the DBSK days. It’s like even their faster songs like “Empty” or “Mission Make It” have too much jump and not enough punch if you get what I mean. All the music is sad and sentimental if not airy. None of the songs really hit me hard like “Rising Sun.” It doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the songs, believe me I really enjoy JYJ songs, this is just how I can describe them. So far my favorite JYJ songs are: Itsu Datte Kimi Ni, Empty, Be My Girl, I Can Soar, Be The One, Mission Make It, and Nine 9.
VOCALS
I’m going to be upfront about this. I have a problem with Yoochun’s voice. When he first debuted with DBSK his voice was fine, as time went on it got better but then it gradually started getting worse. With the huge gap between Mirotic and The Beginning, the change in his voice is glaringly obvious. He sings like it’s hard for him to breathe (and since he has asthma and smokes like a chimney, that’s probably exactly what’s happening). He doesn’t seem to have very good control of his voice, which causes the notes he’s trying to hit to go off on a broomstick somewhere far away. Yoochun can sing it’s just that his voice has gotten worse between point A and point B. Because of this, some JYJ songs are degraded by his voice. Also, because Yoochun has the lowest voice in JYJ, his weakening vocals somewhat exlclude that bass sound from many of their songs. That’s why I described a lot of JYJ songs as being somewhat “airy” in the music section.
JYJ hasn’t done as much harmonies during songs as I would like, but when they do it’s always good (as expected of any members of DBSK). Junsu is all over the place and is singing high, low, left, and right and I like it! I’m still waiting for some material that showcases Jaejoongs voice more. I feel like I haven’t really heard his voice since “The…” was released under Avex.