Top 15 Albums of January 2014 - Part 2

So I'm back with part two of the Top 14 Albums of January 2014! This will be the top five albums, the other ten in the previous blog post (see part one below). I won't blabber too much here, so let's get started. YouTube Playlist if you usually check the videos out that way!

| Part 1 | Part 2 | 

05. Dal Shabet - BBB [104 Points] Released: January 8, 2013 

Early January fan saw Dal Shabet's comeback with their seventh mini-album BBB. BBB stands for Big Baby Baby. The album concept and music video is a little darker compared to Dal Shabet's previous releases and really focused on showing their more mature side. BBB keeps a little bit of the disco feel that Dal Shabet is known for, but I have to say I still like some of their previous works a little more. However, I definitely like this song, especially when compared to other girl band releases in January. Girl's Day released around the same time (they end up doing that a lot) and I have to go with BBB over Something with like 60 to 40 percentiles. As for the rest of the mini-album, I really liked Rewind as well. Anyways, the music video is pretty simple, but has some interesting choreography at parts. 

04. Kim Jaejoong - WWW Makeup Repackage [115 Points] Released: January 20, 2014 

Yes I know that Kim Jaejoong's WWW was released in 2013 and ended up as number 2 in the Top 50 Albums of 2013, but he released a repackaged version in late January with two new songs. Since I've already gone over the rest of the album, I'll just share my thoughts here on the new ones. My favorite of the two is Makeup, a remake of a Japanese song I believe. Here is a video with English subs. It's such a pretty ballad that has a lot of emotion both in his vocals and in the melody. The other song is another ballad, but a duet with talented female solo artist Gummy. The name of the song is Heaven and is also really pretty. Jaejoong is so freaking talented, pulling off some more rock songs, and then pulling out ballads like this. Gummy really fits with the duet well and I really like the way their voices harmonize. Well, as for the music video, I'll just post Just Another Girl Again. It's still the video that goes with this album, so enjoy again if you want! XD 

03. B1A4 - Who Am I [117 Points] Released: January 13, 2014

B1A4 came back with their second studio album in January! Over half of the songs on the album were actually produced by leader Jinyoung. One of them being the promotion song Lonely, with Jinyoung and Baro (the rapper) writing the lyrics. Being super excited for B1A4's comeback, I was a little disappointed at first with the slower song and not as much covered in the pizzazz that usually accompanies B1A4. However I think it fits well with the Korean industry's usual winter songs (I don't know why everyone things Autumn and Winter means ballads?). However after listening to the song a few times and throwing away my predispositions, I really came to love Lonely. Even though it's more of a Ballad, there still is a feel of it being B1A4, especially just listening to the song itself. I also found the dance choreography pretty interesting and it even has a practice video (I love those if you haven't noticed!)! As for the music video, it has a lot of snowy shots and is more depressing, but I did like the way that Jinyoung's girl turned into a balloon and the scenes with them on the couch. As for the rest of the album, I really liked Who Am I. It was also produced by Jinyoung with the lyrics by Jinyoung and Baro. It's style is more closer to their previous releases, except it sounds a little more mature. Definitely check it out if you haven't heard it before. 

02. Seo Inguk - Everlasting [137 Points] Released: January 15, 2014

Seo Inguk released his first full album in Japan halfway through January. It has a few of the previous singles he's released there, as well as a smattering of new ones. I really love Seo Inguk's voice and was super excited to see a new release! I really love this album, with a good chunk of the songs having over 30 plays each! The promotion song for the album is Everlasting Love, a ballad (no surprise here) with a sad, reminiscent music video. It's a pretty song, but not one of my favorites. In no particular order, my favorite songs off the album are Toxic Girl, Space de Tour, Hands Up!, and Lovely Girl. All are a little more in pop genre, except for Lovely Girl; it's more of a pop-ballad I guess. I'm really hoping Seo Inguk releases something else this year, and soon! I can't wait to hear what he does next. 

01. Rain - Rain Effect [142 Points] Released: January 2, 2014

January 2014 saw the return of World Star Rain! His first release since 2011 and after completing his military service, Rain released Rain Effect, his sixth studio album. Along with the album, two music videos were released. 30 Sexy and LA Song were the two chosen promotion songs and both have music videos. LA Song is my favorite of the two songs and music videos, but I love them both! 30 Sexy is pretty much just Rain dancing (which is always amazing). LA Song is a more fun music video, with Rain dancing as well as other "random" people. Since this will be a shorter post, I'll go ahead and post both videos below! I was so happy Rain was coming back, I've been a big fan of his since Rainism and Full House (the kdrama). His first glimpse of a comeback came during the 2013 MAMA awards. And boy was I surprised. We had to pause it while I completely fangirled out and got super duper excited. The rest of the album is pretty good, my other favorite songs being Superman and Found Out. 

January is officially done and over! Stay tuned for February (hopefully I'll start knocking this out faster!)! As always, here is the link to the YouTube Playlist. Keep rockin' and enjoyin' music from around the world! Any questions or comments below will be answered! Until next time! 

Stasi ♫

一番の誕生日

お誕生日おめでと櫻井翔くん

January 25th was my current favorite of Arashi Sakurai Sho-kun's birthday! Many fans of Arashi that I have met and conversed with online are considered *Jun-batited.* For me, I was Sho-baited. The first time I learned of Arashi was in late 2002 when I watched the Jdrama Kisarazu Cat's Eye. I have been listening to Arashi since then, but wasn't a fangirl. I enjoyed their music, but at that time I was really into Hard Rock and Anime. Arashi was just another one of the many artists in my iTunes. A few years ago I started getting bored of a lot of the music that was being released here in America, so I started listening to my JPop and KPop a lot more. It was then that I became a huge fan of Arashi and started turning into another one of the many fangirls across the world! To celebrate Sho-kun's birthday, I watched Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series (the second movie). I would like to thank Sho-kun for introducing me to Arashi. I have become influenced and inspired by the friendship you all share. As for Sho-kun, you have given me motivation to continue. With redefining what it was to be not only an Idol but a Johnny's Idol, you have not only given me the courage, but to people around the world. I will continue to support you in your dramas, news-casting (especially at the Winter Olympics!!), acting, performing,  and any other ventures you decide to go on in your life. I wish you a Happy Birthday. I hope that the next year is wonderful for you and brings you many spectacular things. Thank you, and Happy Birthday Sho-kun! As a treat to all the other fangirls out there, I will share one of the magnificent scans of the January 2010 AnAn that has very revealing shots of Mr. Perfect himself! XD (credits go to jesychan @ livejournal for the scans!)

To continue along the thoughts of being an Arashi fangirl, I have a story! A couple weekends ago I kind of forced/persuaded my Mom, Sister, and Brother to watch the Arashi Around Asia Tour 2008 at the Tokyo Dome. It was absolutely amazing. Last time I watched it, it was on my computer screen, which is nice, but not as nice as on the wonderful LCD TV we have in the living room. I think my sister got bored after a little while, but my Mom actually watched it all. My mom's favorites are Riida and Nino. She loves Riida's voice and thinks Nino is cute! XD I talked to  her about it after it was done. I didn't think that anyone enjoyed it and apologized to my Mom for making her watch something she wasn't really interested in. My Mom pretty much enjoyed the concert more than she thought she would, understands a lot of why I am such a fangirl, and had a lot of the songs stuck in her head for days. For like four days straight I would get text messages that were complaining about having an Arashi song stuck in her head. I find it kind of funny though. She doesn't really know the words, but she knows the melodies and the all the breaks and English words! Since watching the concert she has been asking me almost every day to give her my Arashi songs! It's kind of wonderful that I have made another fan of Arashi! I feel that I have helped the fandom grow. Oh and my Mom also likes Aiba, although she gets tired watching him because he has so much energy. I've shown her bits and pieces of TSD (Tensai Shimura Doubutsuen Variety Show) and so she got to see even more how much energy he has! XD (Picture credit goes to ll13jl @ livejournal!)

생일축하합니다김재중 

The next day, January 26th, is Hero a.k.a. Kim Jaejoong's birthday. He is my favorite from TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki. I am a DBSK fangirl, but I do have to admit that Arashi is number 1 on my list. But anyway, I absolutely adore Hero's voice and lips! XD I'm still pretty new to the KPop fandoms, especially when compared to my time with Arashi, but I have to say I was hooked the first time I heard it. The first Korean band I had heard was Big Bang and it from randomly finding them on Youtube one day. I wiki'ed them and then started checking out other Korean Boy Bands. DBSK was my second. In 2007 I heard about the boy band Super Junior, through the unfortunate car accident, and checked them out. I quickly became a fan and they are my #1 Korean boy band now! But, back to Jaejoong! I would like to thank Jaejoong for bring me many wonderful fangirl squeals and moments, especially when they are shared with Bea and Sami! XD I wish that the next year for you is wonderful and the law suit gets resolved quickly and without breaking up DBSK. I also would like to congratulate you and the rest of the boys on being the most anticipated band of 2010 in Japan! XD Happy Birthday Jaejoong! XD

To continue with Korean fandom, I will share some interesting news. I have been listening a lot to Rain/Bi again lately. I am currently obsessed with his songs "Rainism," "Love Story," and "내여자 (My Lady)" (especially the acoustic version!). Rain is just magnificent and I wish I could have seen him on tour the end of last year. I look forward to what he comes out with next and have watched Full House and A Love to Kill again to get my fix! XD As a treat, I have "내여자" in a YouTube video below! XD

So most of my blog updates are sporadic enough that I have a new chapter of Skip Beat! to rant about, but I still have to wait until February 5th. It's sad and the lack of Skip Beat! on the blog is weird and a little uncomfortable! I'll post a Skip Beat! picture though just for fun!! XD

For my last rant, I haven't really been sleeping well. I go to bed at a normal time (sometime between 10 and 11, but closer to 10 most nights) but can't go to sleep until around midnight or later. It has really started to suck. Last night I was in bed before 11, but I didn't end up falling asleep until after 3am. I'm getting really tired of not being able to sleep. I don't want to take pills though and become dependent on them. So, if anyone has any suggestions please comment and let me know! I would greatly appreciate it!

 So I probably won't update again until the new Skip Beat! chapter, so I hope January ends nicely for everyone and February goes well! I can't believe we're almost done with January in 2010. How time flies!

Ja Mata~

Stasi