[REVIEW] 140415 Kim Jaejoong’s WWW Review in Russian Website “HeadBanger” (Rating 8/10)

Note: Kim Jaejoong’s WWW Professional Review in Russian Website “HeadBanger”, dedicated to the Rock/Metal/gothic
Written by Ксения Артамонова – one of their permanent reviewer and also the author of the “InRock” magazine

About “Mine”:

Album «Mine» was a bit of shock therapy for both fans and skeptics – it looks like the unexpected heavy sound of his 1 single and main composition was something intentional: as if to say: “I want to and I will (do what I want), be afraid”.

About WWW:

But there is a reason why I described (WWW) as “legit” – indeed, in this album there is nothing far-fetched. It doesn’t have some kind of glamorous plateresque, it isn’t overflowing, neither is it an comical attempt to become “the second someone”, it isn’t bombastic or pretentious too.

Yes, it’s a cyborg, collected from the songs of various authors – starting from the performer (JJ) himself, as well as other Korean and foreign composers – and set in motion by guest musicians.

But, on the one hand, the wide range of participants made this album diverse: as if each song “scoops up” something from the bottomless depths of the alternative rock.

And on the other hand, within this cyborg beats living human heart – it’s (WWW) winningly sincere and natural.
All compositions on this CD are connected by restrained, but expressive and rich in its tiniest shades of tones vocal, which emotionality compensates the obvious problems of not understanding the lyrics by non-Korean listeners.

And just this emotional “fullness” and self-sufficiency categorically denies all the fears that may be caused by the status of the artist (JJ being an idol and all).

But the thing, that pleases even more, is that WWW isn’t artificial or pretentious. In it, oddly enough, there is a “garage” roughness, simplicity and honesty, not achievable in the “laboratory conditions”. It was created with a sincere desire to record a live album, not smothered by redundant efforts to “make it nice”.

What this work lacks is bigger musical courage, brightness and originality. A significant part of the material on it was boring in its secondary (something similar was heard before). In addition, it would be desirable to increase the degree of juiciness and drive. But I strongly doubt, that all these wonderful characteristics could have been achieved, by working with freelance musicians over the debut album under time pressure. Perhaps it will come later, along with the confidence, the right people and desire to go further. In the meantime, Kim Jaejoong introduced to the world an album, which at minimum he won’t regret creating in the future and which, although doesn’t claim to be a masterpiece, has become a phenomenon unique to the South Korean music industry.

Total score: 8 from 10

Translator’s Note: Sorry for all my mistakes – English is my 5 language ^^ Go easy on me ^^

Source: Headbanger
Translated by: Sunbeam911
Shared by: JYJ3