The BTS Listen: Agust D
Posted June 16, 2021 by Rowena in Features, Music | 4 Comments
I started listening to BTS albums from the beginning of their musical journey and this series will feature my thoughts on each of those albums. There are a lot of albums but there is also a lot of solo work that I'm interested in covering here on the blog so I decided to just name this feature, The BTS Listen because I'm an organization nerd and things need to be well organized for me or I get itchy.
I'm completely caught up on all of BTS's albums so I'm moving on to their solo work. I'll go in order of release date and go through their Soundcloud and just listen to all of them. I'm ready to listen to the music that shapes each member. They're all so different as solo artists than who they are in the group.
This week, I'm featuring my guy Suga as Agust D. Suga's solo rap name is DT Suga backward. DT stands for Daegu Town, which is where Suga is from.
Track List: Intro ; Dt sugA (feat. DJ Friz), Agust D, Give it To Me, skit, 724148, 140503 at dawn, The Last, Tony Montana, Interlude; Dream & Reality, So Far Away (Suran)
Favorite Song: Agust D, and So Far Away
Favorite Line: A number of druggie rappers should be thankful that I'm an idol and
Agust D is the debut mixtape by South Korean rapper Agust D, better known as Suga of boy-band BTS. It was released on August 15, 2016, by Big Hit Entertainment on SoundCloud.
Alright, this week I'll be listening to Suga's rap alter ego, Agust D's first mixtape, Agust D. This mixtape was released back in 2016 and though I've heard some of the songs off this album already, I haven't paid much attention to the songs or to Suga as Agust D so I'm changing that right now. There are 7 actual songs on here but the other two listed are an intro and a skit. I won't be talking about those in this post.
The first song on this album is the song that has my favorite line on the album on. It's the title track and it's such a good one. I've heard this song and I know the history behind it so it was good to listen to it again. Suga is talking his shit and I am so here for it. Give It To Me is next and it's another fantastic rap song. I hope these fuckers that keep messing with Suga learned their lessons because damn, Suga was mad mad back in the day and he was letting folks know it on this one.
Next up is 724418. So I guess this song is named after the two bus numbers that Suga used to take back in the day from Daegu to Seoul. This song reads like a journal entry and I thought it was interesting to hear Suga's thoughts on moving up near Gangnam, which is supposed to be like the Beverly Hills of South Korea. This guy is very specific on actual dates and his thoughts about his life back then and again, I'm so here for it. 140503 at Dawn is a short song but it packs a punch because Suga is still speaking his truth about the stuff he went through back then. It's another good one.
The Last is up next and man this song. This song sounds like Suga's absolute truth. He talks about his depression, his therapy sessions with his parents, and man this entire song hit me right in my heart. Even if you're not reading the lyrics, you can hear how raw his pain was and how much hurt he was drowning in. Yikes, it doesn't feel right to say that I loved this song since this song is mostly about Suga's pain but it's a compelling song that speaks to Suga's experiences and I hope having gotten all of that out in the open, made things better for him. My guy was in pain!!
Tony Montana is a song that I thought originally featured my guy Park Jimin but it's not. He joined Suga on stage during the third Muster to sing that song with him and honestly, I prefer that version to the one that's actually on the album though I did like the album version as well. Last up is, So Far Away and I like the melody of this song. It's softer than the other songs on the album though it's no less intense and raw than the other songs. All of the other songs are sad when you read the lyrics and hear the stories behind each song but those songs were more on the angry side of Suga's pain. This song feels a lot more sad and shows a more vulnerable side to Suga and man it smacked me upside my head. I teared up listening to this song, it's definitely a good one.
To me, Suga as Agust D is the artist that I think Suga would be if he wasn't in BTS. He's intense, he's raw, and he reminds me so much of Eminem. He raps fast like Eminem. He kills his enemies with bars that make me so embarrassed for whoever pissed him off enough that he had to write multiple songs about them. Agust D is a lot different from Suga. He's got this aggressive way of getting his message across and this album was more a reflection of how he became Suga. From the early days of his training to his debut with BTS, Suga holds nothing back. This album was very honest and it was deep and it made me feel for the Suga that he used to be, the struggles he went through, and for the hardships that continue to follow him now. He's proven that he's resilient and that he's strong and I absolutely loved every moment of listening to this album.
Tags: Agust D, Bangtan Sonyeondan, BTS, BTS Bias Wrecker, Loved It, Suga, The BTS Listen
The BTS Listen: RM
Posted June 9, 2021 by Rowena in Features, Music | 4 Comments
This week, I'll be featuring RM's first solo mixtape album. Let's go to it, shall we?
Track List: Voice, Do You, Awakening, Monster, Throw Away, Joke, God Rap, Rush, Life, Adrift, I Believe
Favorite Song: Do You
Favorite Line: Yeah man i told you that im a monster, That why i be rappin non stop, I do want your hands at the concert, Want your fuckin damn erry hands at the concert, Hit me
RM is the debut mixtape by RM. It was released on March 20, 2015, with "Awakening" serving as the mixtape's title track.
There are eleven tracks on this debt mixtape that RM released back in 2015 and I'm ready to dig right in. My favorite rapper in the group is Suga but that's more because his style of rapping is the style that I vibe with the most. I do really enjoy both RM and J Hope so I'm looking forward to working my way through their solo stuff. Starting with RM's solo debut, RM.
This solo album kicks off with a track called Voice. While reading the lyrics and listening to the song, it sounds like a self-reflection song. RM is remorseful about some regrettable past actions and I felt it. I even cried a little listening to this one. I like it. Immediately following Voice, we get Do You and that song is fan-freaking-tastic. The beat, the lyrics, RM did his thing on this one and I also really enjoyed the music video.
Awakening is the next song and I think it was the perfect title for that song. The lyrics, the tone of the song, and the beat? Yeah, it all felt like we were witnessing RM's awakening and I was here for it. Another fantastic song. Next up is Monster and oooohh RM is a mother fucking monster for this one. He is straight talking his shit and I love it. Listening to this song, reading the lyrics, and remembering his history makes me admire him all the more.
Throw Away is the next song and it's got a rock feel to it. It's very aggressive but still very good. It's probably my least favorite song off the album but not because it's bad, I just really like the other songs so far. Next up is Joke. Okayyyy RM. We get it, you are really good at what you do and to all of them haters out there who gave him shit when BTS was just getting started? Haha, I wonder how dumb they feel now? I'm glad that RM got to get all of the stuff off his chest because my guy was mad mad at everyone. I'm not mad though because he produced some great songs as a result.
God's Rap is a hidden track that isn't on Soundcloud so I didn't listen to that one even though it's the seventh song on this album. I'll find it eventually and listen to it. Following that song is Rush featuring Krizz Kaliko. I really like this song. I liked hearing their different styles of rapping and the song is overall a very catchy song with a good beat and great lyrics. A winner for sure.
Life is up next and it's a slower song that is mainly about just that…life. I enjoyed the slower vibe of this song though it's not one of my favorites on the album. Adrift is another slower song where RM does a little of that sing rap that Drake and J Hope does. I'm used to hearing J Hope do this but I did really like hearing RM sing a little bit while still rapping as well. The last song on the album is called I Believe that features the rest of the guys and this song is different from what I'm used from BTS but it was great and I enjoyed it. RM has evolved as an artist over the years so he's not as angry as he was in both BTS and his earlier solo songs. You can tell that he's learning from his mistake during the making of this album and he's trying to do better, which is all anyone can ask for. I'm glad that he's a lot more comfortable in his skin, in his fame, and in his music. This was a great album from beginning to end and even though I didn't love every song, it was more of a preference thing than the songs being mad. RM is really good at making music and I hope that we get a lot more music from him because I loved this and look forward to hearing more.
Tags: Bangtan Sonyeondan, BTS, Kim Namjoon, Loved It, My Music, RM, Solo Projects, The BTS Listen
The Weekly Playlist (4)
Posted March 18, 2021 by Rowena in Features, Music | 2 Comments
One of my favorite things to do when I was back home in L.A. was to take drives with my friend B Nice so that we can listen to our newly discovered favorite songs by BTS. We both discovered BTS over the pandemic and have been crazy for all things BTS. When I moved to Vegas, those drives stopped but I decided that I'm going to use my blog to share what songs I'm listening to each week with both B Nice and everyone else who reads this blog. This week, I'm featuring the rap line from BTS. I feel like I don't give them as much love as I do the vocal line though I do love them hella. I promise. These three are the songs that I've been listening to a lot lately and after they are all fantastic songs.
DKDKTV does a really great job of explaining the meaning and themes behind a lot of BTS songs for international fans. In this video, they explain the lyrics of Ddaeng and though I loved the song before watching that video, I love it even more now. Such a great song. Unfortunately, this song isn't part of any of their albums. I do believe that they released this song for a fan event and you can listen to it on the BTS Soundcloud, for free.
This song is another gem of a song with a message that I can totally get behind. You can watch the song explained video from DKDKTV here. Shout out to the hard work that these guys do for us international fans. This song is basically about people being jerks and getting mad over every little thing. Wasting energy being pissed off and trolling others on the internet. Especially the trolls that troll celebrities and make their already stressful jobs, even more stressful..for no damn reason. Use that anger for more useful things, like making the world a better place. Be mad that there is still oppression going on in the world. Be mad about those kinds of things. Do better.
This song is a Suga solo and it's one that showcases just how fast this man can rap. His style of rapping reminds me of Eminem and Twista, that super-fast flow and I'm here for it. Suga is pissed at all of those haters in this song and he goes off. I'm really loving how different Agust D is from Suga. Agust D is rawer than Suga is. This is the kind of artist that I think Suga would have been without BTS. I'm glad that he's with BTS and he's a huge part of the reason that I love BTS so much but I love that we can get so many different sides to each member through their solo work. This is a great song and is definitely worthy of being part of your playlists. Again, this is another song that you won't find on any album but on the BTS SoundCloud. There are a lot of good stuff over there so head on over and check them out.
What songs are you on your playlist this week? Don't worry, it doesn't have to be BTS. Share in the comments!
Tags: BTS, The Rap Line, The Weekly Playlist
The BTS Listen: Love Yourself: Her, Tear, and Answer
Posted March 17, 2021 by Rowena in Features, Music, Reviews | 2 Comments
I started listening to BTS albums from the beginning of their musical journey and this series will feature my thoughts on each of those albums. There are a lot of albums but there are also a lot of solo work that I'm interested in covering here on the blog so I decided to just name this feature, The BTS Listen because I'm an organization nerd and things need to be well organized for me or I get itchy.
This week, I'll be featuring the following albums: Love Yourself: 承 Her, Love Yourself: 轉 Tear, Love Yourself: 結 Answer. So let's get started, shall we?
Love Yourself: 承 Her
Track List: Intro: Serendipity, DNA, Best of Me, Dimple, Pied Piper, Skit: Billboard Music Awards Speech, MIC Drop, Go Go, Outro: Her
Favorite Song: Pied Piper
Favorite Line: 아들이 넘 잘나가서 미안해 엄마 | That I'm too successful, I'm sorry, mom
BTS releases LOVE YOURSELF 承 'HER'!
"Loving yourself is the beginning of true love",
All the different faces of love expressed through the signature music of BTS!
On September 18, BTS will release 承 'HER', the first album in the new LOVE YOURSELF series.
LOVE YOURSELF 承 'HER' is an expression of the anxiety and elation of love, told in the unique style of BTS. The "love" that BTS aims to convey in the LOVE YOURSELF series is both the individual experience of a boy growing into adulthood and a message of peace and unity to our society today. In the mini-album 承 'HER' that begins this new narrative, the image of boys in love for the first time is expressed in a refreshing and cheerful take that aims to talk about the topic of "love" while immersed in a coming-of-age tale.
I've been waiting to get to these albums because my all-time favorite BTS songs are from this album trio. I just really like the vibe from this era. Their message of Love Yourself, Speak Yourself is one that resonated with me because as a lifelong fan of pop culture and romance novels, I've always been dragged for liking those "little boys" and those smutty books from everyone around me, and growing up, I kept a lot of my love of everything to myself. I've never been vocal about the things that I love unless I was close to you and you were stuck with having to hear about everything that I love, all the damn time. LOL.
This album features a nice variety of songs that I just love to pieces. I think the worst part of this album was we only got a teaser from Serendipity, haha. But for real though. There isn't one song on this album that I didn't like. My favorite song of the bunch is Pied Piper. I love that BTS is poking fun at Army and telling them to get their work done, there will be plenty of time afterward to analyze their MV's later. I also love MIC Drop because I'm a very petty person and that song speaks to my soul. LOL. Dimple is one of the songs that I listened to for the first time early in my discovery of BTS. So it's got a special place in my BTS-loving heart even though I still think the line, "So I'll call you illegirl" is corny as shit. LOL.
This was another fabulous bunch of songs and I swear their songs are getting better and better. I definitely recommend this one.
Favorite Performance
There are a lot of great performances for the songs on this album and I love them all but, I love this one just a smidge more. This entire Muster was fantastic! For me, JK and V really stand out in this performance. I love me some Jimin and Jin and they're great in this performance as well but JK and V really hit this performance out of the park. This is the JK that I absolutely love! V's on stage antics and performances are my absolute favorite and it's showcased so well in this one.
Love Yourself: 轉 Tear
Track List: Intro: Singularity, Fake Love, The Truth Untold (Feat. Steve Aioki), 134340, Paradise, Love Maze, Magic Shop, Airplane Pt. 2, Anpanman, So What, Outro: Tear
Favorite Song: Magic Shop
Favorite Line: I do believe your galaxy, 듣고 싶어 너의 멜로디, 너의 은하수의 별들은, 너의 하늘을 과연 어떻게 수놓을지, 나의 절망 끝에, 결국 내가 널 찾았음을 잊지마, 넌 절벽 끝에 서 있던 내 마지막 이유야, Live
BTS releases third studio album LOVE YOURSELF 轉 'TEAR'
Fake love inevitably leads to loss and separation,
For true love can only begin when you learn to love yourself
BTS will release LOVE YOURSELF 轉 'TEAR', their third studio album on May 18.
BTS' LOVE YOURSELF series bears the message that loving oneself is the beginning of true love. Whereas the previously unveiled LOVE YOURSELF 起 'WONDER' and LOVE YOURSELF 承 'HER' albums expressed the heart-fluttering and tingling moments of love, LOVE YOURSELF 轉 'TEAR' album embodies the pain of boys faced with parting.
So far, this is my favorite BTS album. This is at the top of my favorites. It's got a lot of bops on here but it also has my all-time favorite BTS song, Magic Shop on here. This is the kind of album that I needed back when I was growing up. I can appreciate this entire album because I love myself a lot more these days but I can totally see this album speaking to the younger generation who are discovering who they are now. There's a lot of great songs here. There are 43 minutes of a good time to be had listening to this one and R&B listeners will especially enjoy this one. There's a lot of good stuff here. From Paradise to Love Maze, to Magic Shop and Airplane Pt. 2 and just the whole damn album is bomb. This is like an All Star line up of some of BTS best work. Go listen to it, you won't regret it!
I absolutely love everything about this performance. The song, them high notes that the vocal line hits and every single rap verse that RM, Suga, and J Hope drop. Everything about this performance is perfection IMO.
Love Yourself: 結 Answer
Track List: Euphoria, Trivia 起: Just Dance, Serendipity, DNA, Dimple, Trivia 承: Love, Her, Singularity, Fake Love, The Truth Untold (feat. Steve Aioki), Trivia 轉: Seesaw, Tear, Epiphany, I'm fine, IDOL, Answer: Love Myself, Magic Shop, Best of Me, Airplane Pt. 2, Go Go, Anpanman, MIC Drop, DNA (Pedal 2 LA Mix), Fake Love (Rocking Vibe Mix), MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)
Favorite Song: Serendipity, Singularity, Epiphany
Favorite Line: You can't stop me loving myself
BTS, LOVE YOURSELF 結 'ANSWER'
"Loving oneself is where true love begins"
A celebration with the ARMY
First unveiled in March of 2016, the BTS LOVE YOURSELF series creates a narrative by linking the key songs in each album into a single theme, imparting the message that "loving yourself is true love". Like a well-written novel having an introduction, development, twists, and conclusion it shared a compelling story for two and a half years.
'ANSWER' is the final piece of the puzzle. Though it's a repackaged album, LOVE YOURSELF 結 'ANSWER' still includes seven brand-new tracks. CD A is a concept album, its sixteen tracks all connected lyrically to highlight BTS' prowess as both artists and storytellers.
This is the final album of the Love Yourself albums and it's another one of those repackaged albums that includes some new songs that make things interesting. I'm not going to comment on the songs from the other two albums. The new songs include full-length versions of Serendipity, Singularity, Her and Tear, Euphoria, Trivia 起: Just Dance, Trivia 承: Love, Trivia 轉: Seesaw, Epiphany, I'm Fine, IDOL, and Answer: Love Myself. All of these songs are great. You'll be hardpressed to find a bad song by these guys and it's definitely not here on this album.
My favorite songs on this album are Serendipity, Singularity, and Epiphany. Those are my kind of songs. Each of them get a lot of playing time on my playlist. I even learned how to sing them because I like them so much and I don't even speak Korean and singing songs in a language you don't speak is hard as hell. Big ups to JK who sings a lot of English songs though he speaks English well now but still, the struggle was real for me but I liked those songs enough that I kept at it until I could sing them all. This was another shining example of how good BTS is and how diverse their range is. They cover a lot of different genres in their music and I'm here for it all. This album is worth getting, I promise it's good.
There is something about this performance that I just absolutely love. I love the choreography, their vocals, how much fun they look like they're having (especially V) and this song just always puts me in a good mood. I love it so much and I love their outfits for this number too. Just everything. I love every freaking thing.
Tags: Bangtan Sonyeondan, BTS, Love Yourself Answer, Love Yourself Her, Love Yourself Tear, Loved It, My Music, The BTS Listen
Posted February 22, 2021 by Rowena in Books, Features, Movies, Music | 6 Comments
The Weekly Recap is pretty self-explanatory. It's a feature where I recap my week in books, movies, and kdramas. Since we're still in a pandemic, I'm not doing much outside of my house and I really doubt you guys want to hear about my trips to the grocery store so stick around and let's see what I got into this week.
What I Watched
Run BTS!
Sisyphys
What I Read
The Beast of Beswick by Amalie Howard | 4 out of 5
What I Listened To
What if I by Ailee
One Step by Hyolyn feat. Jay Park
24/7=Heaven by BTS
What I Got
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
What I Got for Review
The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary
The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He
Kim Namjoon
RM from BTS
What I Reviewed
Nothing again. Get it together, Wena!
What I Posted
Eye Candy Friday: Kim Namjoon, RM from BTS
What Made Me Laugh
There you have it, my week in review. How was your week?
Tags: The Weekly Recap, Week in Books, Week in Movies, Week in Music, Week in TV Shows