Gwen: Red Velvet!
Is this their Red or their Velvet side?
Umu: The first one is their velvet side
Hugo: The velvet side is their sexy side, right?
Gwen: Yes
Umu: Well, I mean
they're always sexy.
Gwen: It's their RnB side
Umu: Yeah
Umu: So-- Gwen: A.K.A. their sexy side
Umu: They had another comeback where they
put out a Velvet song and a Red song
but the first song they put out was the Velvet song (incorrect- sorry!) so that's what we'll be watching first.
Gwen: "One of These Nights"
1, 2, 3!
Katie : I appreciate the strings Rachel: Mhmm
Katie: Got a nice little orchestra there
Shimon: Strings Naoki: Oh
Ben: So pop-y with strings Naoki: So lovey-dovey
Ben: Oh!
Naoki: That harmony caught you by surprise?
Ben: It did.
Fiona: I wonder if that piano is gonna stay there the whole time
I have a feeling it's just gonna go away
and it's gonna go crazy
Henry: And then it's gonna catch on fire
Fiona: Yeah
Emiel: The piano is actually really nice using some cool extensions on top
Jarod: I love how it's got like an orchestral kind of beginning but then just fades like
just like piano...
Rachel: They all have great voices tho
Like, they never settle
for like, kind of okay voices
Yunyi: And like electronic feels, like, kinda seep in there Kevin: Oh nice
Yunyi: for like, a split second then disappear Kevin: Uh-huh
Kevin: There's some Dr. Strange stuff happening here
Fiona: I like their voice harmonies there
Gwen: That wind chime in the back
Hugo: That's a nice chord. That is a different key.
Rachel: I think that was a new key
Katie: That was like a very different, unrelated key rachel: very direct
Hugo: That was an unprepared modulation--that was good
That was good
Melissa: Whoa, she's coffee, that's tea
Lindsey: She--she IS coffee
Kevin: It's gonna go--
Alright, but that's gonna go---
Yunyi: It's gonna go somewhere else
Emiel: Cool melody Fiona: It's like sparkly sounding
[mind blown]
Henry: What???
This is so dope! Oh my God
Lindsey: What is she doing?
M: Being sad?
Have you ever experienced sadness, Lindsey?
Lindsey: Yes
Naoki: Ooh, that's cool
Hugo: Diggin the beat now
Ben: The chord changes are really cool Naoki: Yeah
Ben: 'Cause they're using differ--oh! And again?
Fiona: This subtle trap beat
Emiel: Yeah Fiona: It's like what?
Emiel: It's such a subtle trap beat
Fiona: It's so good!
Like it...
changes the vibe of it.
From like...
chill to cool.
Gwen: I hate to say it, but I'm underwhelmed by the vocals.
Hugo: I am a little underwhelmed, too.
Gwen: They're not bad but they're just not doing anything
Jarod: Like here you have a little bit of the background singers but like
it's mostly the soloist that's the highlight, versus the group
Henry: It's just like, has such a weird--like it, it keeps coming back to the same place
but like, it just finds such a weird--like, every turn feels like a left turn
and then they still end up in the same place
Fiona: And they're like-- the tone and the vibe of what's going on feels different each time it like, comes back around
Kevin: Mhmm
Rachel: Not that it's like, predictable? But like, you know where the chords are going
Even though it's like, super jazzy
I love that about like, standards
Katie: Except sometimes like, the key will just-- Rachel: Yeah, or then the key will change, yeah
Katie: I think that's probably the biggest difference, I would say
Between-- Rachel: Yeah they do what they want
Katie: Yeah, they don't abide by classical theory rules Rachel: No
[percussion/bass noises]
Jarod: Oh, that didn't drop?
Jarod & Peyton: Ohhhh there it is
Jarod: Builds you up, lets you down, then gives you what you're looking for about 4 bars later
Emiel: I like how one scene goes into like another
like, they figured out how to blend one shot and it transitions somehow into another
Fiona: Yeah, and it's all connected and it builds like the music does
Like, the volume, or just the feel of it is so more in your face
versus in the beginning, it's like [piano actions]
Jarod: It just needs more brass
Ben: They did this really well
The music I think, is definitely
well better written than most other ones that we've heard tonight
Peyton: Whoa the [whammy noises]
Henry: Wow Fiona: Henry-- [shows off shoes]
Henry: wow Fiona: wow, that was beautiful
Henry: that was fucking incredible Emiel: yo, that was the best k-pop songs--
Henry: hands down my favourite k-pop song I've ever heard
Not only am I genuinely going to listen to that in my free time, but I also want to transcribe this
Fiona: It just went in such unexpected ways, and like, the melody just kept-- it just totally kept your interest
because you don't--it doesn't happened in such a boring expected way that you could, like, guess
like, I couldn't guess where it was going and I was just like-- it was a wild like emotional ride
which--that's what they're trying to do so
Fiona: Good job Red Velvet Emiel: It was tight
Jarod: I really like the--kind of-- fluidity to the piece
but I feel like it doesn't go anywhere
I feel like you just kind of have this beat-- you know, it's a good beat
and it's a good kind of style you got going, but it's kind of the same thing
you know? For four minutes, which, you know, I'm cool with
but musically, the story-- beginning, middle, end, with a climax, you know?-- I, I just didn't catch it
Peyton: Ok, uh. I thought it kind of had two parts
The opening was more so of like, a slow crawl into it's-- kind of like if it were a day
it's like, kind of a somber, cloudy day, but it kind of opens up with a morning dew kind of thing
Where it's like. All the chords are there-- like, the structure of what the harmonies are going to be throughout the whole piece is kind of being set up and built
And it goes to a lot of different places in our mind, it just--
It kind of goes back to the beginning
But with the second part it's obviously like, when the synth and the beats and the drum track come in
Which was very well done, very classic r&b and hip hop type deal
Hugo: I like the beat and the rhythm Gwen: The first--
Gwen: The first modulation was cool Hugo: Was good
Hugo: But then after it was-- Gwen: And then it happened every single time
Hugo: Yeah they didn't need to keep modulating, that was just kind of--
Gwen: I mean, they did do one right into the-- what's it called, the chorus
Which obviously, you have to repeat that
But there was a couple just in the middle of the song that were like, unexpected and cool
And they did them again and you're like, less cool, and then they did them again, and you're like, less cool--
Hugo: Well, the greatest thing to do is that you never do the same thing twice Gwen: Yeah
Hugo: And I feel like that's where a lot of Kpop kind of falls under the bus a little bit
They get repetitive. Like, one of the main rules--I don't know if you guys were taught this, but I was taught, when learning music
Was that you never do the same thing twice Gwen: If something repeats, it has to be different
Hugo: It has to be different, and I feel like a lot of Kpop groups mimic a lot of the instrumentation instead of production
They just copy/paste Gwen: No, and even the vocals
They'll copy and paste for the chorus
And I think especially with like, ballad-type songs
The chorus is something you return to, and the verse is something that's changed
Hugo: While maintaining a sense of familiarity, because people like to hear what they've heard before Gwen: Exactly
Hugo: It's finding the balance of bringing back things people know
But at the same time, also bringing in variance so it's not boring
Yunyi: I think that was probably one of my favourite tracks Kevin: Mhmm
Yunyi: Just like, in general Kevin: Mhmm
Yunyi: Out of everything we've listened to Kevin: Out of music that came out of the past 5 years
Yunyi: There was such a tasteful balance between everything
It was really smooth sounding, it was just active enough, there was just the right amount of electronic beat and electronic textures in there
but it stayed fairly acoustic throughout. Just--everything was super tasteful and not only that-- it was emotional
Just the way they used-- they just used harmony extremely effectively
Which is really rarely something you see in pop
Usually-- at best, a lot of the stuff we reacted to that we thought were extremely harmonically interesting
have like-- use harmonies, as glitz and glamour, and sort of surprise elements
But this group, in that song, used it for emotional impact
You know? Like, really used it to connect with the listener
Ben: Whoever writes the music for this is really really talented
Shimon: Yeah, that was really-- Ben: Because they really tried to differentiate between textures through strings or piano
and through background vocals, that sort of thing, they know how to build
There's that one build where like, the vocals came in strong but they didn't bring in the beat until the second time around
Yeah. It was really tasty
Umu: There we go. Okay, well this is-
The next one's gonna be-
Hard to outdo this but I guess it just depends on the mood
'Cause the next one you're gonna like, really dance
Kevin: Hey, hey Emma do you have gum?
Umu: No, I'm sorry
Kevin: 'Cause dum dum give me gum gum
lol
Umu: Okay let's go
Fiona: Five
Fiona & Emiel: Four, three
Fiona, Emiel & Henry: Two, one
Bleaughh *dab*
Melissa: I get it 'cause they're saying "dumb"
Rachel: It sounds like The Magic School Bus theme song
Peyton: Aww break it down
Jaord: This is what goes through my head during theory class
Kevin: Okay, nice
Yunyi: I like the really bouncy, deep bass
Henry: I'm thinking of a specific drum beat
It's the Purdie Half Time Shuffle
If it was happening underneath this,
On like an actual drum set that had like a bunch of effects running through,
Holy sh*t, it'd be f*cking lit
Hugo: Nice run
Katie: Wow
Rachel: They belt so high
Nyaaah
Peyton: ooH abab break it down
woop x 8
Jarod: I like- Like the complexity and rhythm is just like, it's there
Yunyi: Like- When they sing the chorus melody,
I think it was a, mostly a I-II-III in minor but then
They harmonize it with some major
Kevin: Yeeah
Naoki: I like how they're using "dumb" as motivic fragment to develop throughout the piece.
Ben: And they're using it not only texurally but also instrumentally
'Cause you can also audiate the word "dumb" with the hits of the trumpets.
Lindsey: yeaah like-
Melissa: Do you think-
Lindsey: They got like the synth going
They're killing it
Melissa: Wait like is that brass synthesized or not
Lindsey: Yess
Melissa: I want a stamp that says "dumb" so I can put it on all my homework before I turn it in
Jarod: OOh you know what they're doing?
I actually-
See like-
So what they're doing with that little like... is...
The stacking notes
So essentially it's a cinematic technique
And what they do, it's like
Like they're really only expanding to here, but the way they do it, it sounds like it's never ending
It's like an audio opti- opt
It's like an optical illusion for your ear
So it's like your ear,
You hear it like it keeps rising, but it's not, it's just repeating
I- I love it, I love it, I love it
Yunyi: Like it's been on I but it's been both simultaneously with major I and minor I
Kevin: mhhm
Shimon: I can understand why people like this song
with the dumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumbdumb
Ben & Naoki: Yeah
Shimon: It's really catchy
Naoki: Right
Jarod: Michael Jackson?
Are you Billie Jean?
Peyton: You better get it, girl
Rachel: I don't know
Katie: ooO
Henry: Yo how do I get my hair to look like that?
Fiona: You hear that sound it's like duiduiduiduidui
Henry: Ooh bari sax
Emiel: It's building
Fiona: It's- Empty space and then
Emiel: OH
Henry: OHH MY GOD
Emiel: You got fOoLeD
Henry: I just lost it
Emiel: We just got fooled :c
Fiona: That was an unexpected transition
Henry: I just got f*cking duPED
Fiona: If it wasn't that, I would've-
Emiel: oo there's another build! There's another build
and we're going again
There we go
Yunyi: Their melody is a natural harmonic minor
But then they're putting the parallel major chord over it
Kevin: I don't think I heard that
We'll get back to it
Gwen: The cheeto balls
Hugo: I like the background, like
chromaticism
Jarod: That's- That's incredible
Hugo: They have some good riffs
Gwen: Yeah that was-
Hugo: Some good high notes
Those are good
Yunyi: Maybe it was just Mixolydian
Kevin: I don't- yeah I don't think it was
Yunyi: Yeah I think it was Mixolydian but like-
Kevin: My goodness
Yunyi: Natural VII just tends to have a minor tendency
Kevin: Man, if I could write songs that well,
I'd be happy for my entire life
Yunyi: Dude, this is like a contender...
I think it's a contender for top group for me
Kevin: yeaaah
Katie: I really liked it, actually. It was like-
It- I think I said before, it reminds me of, like, Lady Marmalade kind of
Rachel: Yeah, I really like it too
Katie: I appreciate the brass in it and
Rachel: They always have good instrumentation
Katie: yeeah
Rachel: Like lots
I- Like a wider varieeety
Rachel: yeah hehehe
Katie: than American pop-music
Rachel: Yeah
Peyton: Seriously, it was really great. Like high energy
uhh I feel like they mess with the time a lot
like there are a lot of motives that kept it driving forward
Like the bumbumbumbumbumbumbumbum
And then like, they would cycle it back down
but like what was going along with it would keep going higher
So it almost kind of like
They could reuse material while keeping something moving forward
Yeah just like the use of the drum track like in both like uuh
Like I guess double time, like a half time type deal
Jarod: If I had to sum all of that experience into one word, it'd be 'fun'
Like that's what music is, daawwg
it's FUN
I liked whenever I thought it was gonna drop and be like a super crazy beat but ended up being like super smooth
Like you're like running for like this usually like really dry thing then all of a sudden it's just like paint (lolwot)
You know it was awesome. It was just like totally unexpected
And that's what I like. I like being surprised
'Cause like often times, like American Pop, it's so predictable
Like you know where everything's going before it even happens
But like, that's why I love it
Like I don't really know anything about K-Pop but I like how it keeps me- keeps the ear active
Umu: Which one do you like better?
One of These Nights or Dumb Dumb Dumb?
Kevin: OOF
Yunyi: Dude, they are both
Kevin: One of These Nights
Yunyi: They are both soo good
Kevin: But just by an inch
Just by a fraction of an inch
Yunyi: Yeah. Yeah, One of These Nights
But they're like both excellent
lol
They're both excellent for like different reason which is-
Which is so amazing cus like,
This group can just be like, reigning champions of both styles and genres
Jarod: This one
Umu: Dumb Dumb Dumb?
Peyton: Depends on the day uhh for me...
Umu: Do you wanna go fifty-fifty?
Peyton: I think I'm gonna go fifty-fifty
Umu: Uhm this one you guys liked the Red side better?
Hugo: Oh YEs
Gwen: Yeah
Hugo: Yeah f*ck yeah
Gwen: I think partially not... not because of the way that their velvet woah
Not because of the way their Velvet side like works but because we like this song better
Katie: Mmm. Dumb dumb dumb Rachel: I liked the first one
I think. Katie: Oooh
Rachel: But like, I really liked this too
Katie: No, totally, I liked the other one too Rachel: Yeah, they're--it's a hard decision
Katie: I liked the rhythmic complexity of it with the brass, but it wasn't very complex chord-wise? Rachel: Mhmm
Katie: I don't know. It was-- Rachel: Easy to follow
Katie: Yeah, easy to catch on and sing with
Naoki: I like Dumb Dumb Dumb Umu: Okay
Ben: I like the first one, I thought it was really intelligent Umu: One Of These Nights?
Ben: Yeah Umu: Shimon?
Shimon: I like Dumb Dumb Dumb Umu: Okay
Just because it's just so catchy? Naoki: Yeah, it was fun Shimon: Yeah
But you know, that other one was also really good Ben: I thought the other one was more intelligent
Shimon: Yeah, it was
Melissa: I'm gonna call it a tie, because I feel like they're so different, like it's apples and oranges
I hate when people say that, but I can't compare Lindsey: They're both fruit, it's not that--
Melissa: Yeah, you can compare apples-- I like oranges better
Henry: Don't make me choose
Don't make me choose which one I like better because I like them both so much for different reasons
Both have like, different-- they have strengths in such different areas
That one grooved WAY hard, and the other one just has almost no groove, which is fine--
Not that it doesn't have any groove, but it's more melodically interesting than it is head-bobbing interesting
Emiel: I like the second one better, because it grooved harder
But the first one was more musically interesting
But rhythm is everything, so.. [Henry concurs}
Fiona: I was swept away by the first one
It was so good!
Henry: You chose the second one, you chose the first one?
Umu: And you're 50/50
Fiona: Oh wow! I'm always the breaker Henry: I have to-- I have to-- I have a--
Emiel: PICK
Henry: I have a moral obligation to be the tie-breaker
Fiona: You're gonna pick the first one Henry: NoooOOOOO
Fiona: He wants to pick the first one
Emiel: No he doesn't Fiona: Yes he does
Emiel: Once he'll pick the second one, he's just afraid to confront you-- Henry: I choose the first one
Umu: First oneeeee
Henry: I pick the first one. Yeah, I do
Sorry Emiel.