Girl’s Day has ‘Something’ to offer

Girl’s Day
 “Everyday 3”
(LOEN Entertainment)

Since the release of its new EP, Girl’s Day has been the talk of the town in the K-pop scene for its bold and seductive dance moves and outfits that accompany their new song, “Something.” The group has indeed shed its cutesy image with its new song, successfully situating itself at the forefront of the long line of “sexy” girl groups in the Korean music industry.

Even with all the attention about the dance moves aside, the 5-track EP surprisingly has some good things to offer to listeners in terms of musicality.

The main track “Something,” a song about a woman who has realized that her lover has been cheating, remains in a very high key for most of the song. Despite the high pitch, the group sings well in a style that is just powerful enough to match the message of the song. Moreover, the melody is very addictive and unique compared to other mainstream K-pop songs.

“Show You” is more steady and easygoing compared to the main track.

Although not the most original in melody or musical composition, “Show You” does deliver the steady and distinctive voices of all four members. “Whistle” is a more upbeat and bouncy song that includes real whistle melodies in the background.

(jiyoung.sohn@heraldcorp.com)

Springsteen explores covers, leftovers

Bruce Springsteen
 “High Hopes” 
(Columbia)

Bruce Springsteen albums are most often well-constructed, cohesive statements, but “High Hopes” is something different ― a collection of covers and leftovers from the last decade or so.

As such, it feels like a musical tag sale, albeit one in a very nice neighborhood. Springsteen credits Tom Morello as his muse here, and his snarling, squealing guitar does more than anything to tie everything together. Their duet on a ferocious version of the two decade-old song, “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” is clearly the album’s high point.

Another song familiar to fans, “American Skin (41 Shots),” feels bloated and dated, not helped that a decade’s worth of news has made the incident that inspired it recede from the mind.

The success of a tag sale depends largely on individual taste, of course. We’re partial to some of the exuberant pop songs here: the title cut and “Just Like Fire Would” are both obscure cover songs. Springsteen’s own “Frankie Fell in Love” is a lark with funny lyrics. (AP)

Rosanne Cash explores her Southern roots

Rosanne Cash
“The River & The Thread”
(Blue Notes)

The songs on “The River & The Thread” rock like a cradle, and the rhythm rings true while Rosanne Cash explores her roots.

The mesmerizing musical journey takes her to Arkansas, the Mississippi Delta and the Gulf Coast as Cash encounters the ghosts of Robert Johnson, Emmett Till, AM radio and her Civil War ancestors. There’s also the repeated tug of Memphis, where Cash was born around the time her father cut his first record.

This Southern music stretches far beyond the confines of country ― that’s a violin on “Night School,” not a fiddle. The 11 songs blend Tennessee flattop twang with gospel, the blues, and even hints of jazz while building a bridge from Dust Bowl ballads to Dusty Springfield pop.

Covering so much territory takes time, but Cash makes it well worthwhile. In these days of downloads, “The River” offers an eloquent argument for albums. Her husband and producer, John Leventhal, pulls it all together and ensures the set’s considerable ambitions don’t overwhelm the immaculate arrangements. (AP)