If you are in Japan then you have been listening to Jun. K's Love Letter since 11/25/15 (25/11/15 for my foreign friends). You may have even had the chance to see him in concert and I am super jealous. Luckily I pre-ordered Love Letter and got it today 11/30/15 (30/11/15) and I am pleased... of course. His voice is so smooth. One thing I love about Jun. K is that he does the kind of music that he wants to do and I am just glad that JYP allows him that freedom... but that probably has a lot to do with the fact that JYP is Jin Young Park aka JY Soul. His music is on the R&B vibe as well. Looking at Love Letter is exactly that...A smooth Love Letter sang by one of Kpop's most soulful voices having grown up looking up to American Singers such as Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly and Whitney Houston. At times his voice reminds me of KC from Jodeci, but smoother and powerful making forget that 95% of the album is in Japanese, leaving the hooks in English. I am kind of surprised because I feel like Love Letter is much more mellow than his first Solo Mini Album Love Hate aside from Love Letter first single which is the track Love Letter, which listening to the song sound like a trip in time to Judy Garland's 1949 film, In the Good Old Summer Time, which showcases american standard, orchestra backed songs. In the video we see our lovely Jun. K cosplay as Charlie Chaplin and meshing 1920s-30s with 2015. I am just like how does he and Super Changddai come up with this sound AND how did the director come up with a video concept going along with it??? Moving on.... After Love Letter the following four songs remind me of songs that would play on the radio station my parents listened to on our way back from Philly. Better Man is simple, beginning with an acoustic guitar allowing us to really hear Jun Min's (Jun. K's real name) voice. The english lyrics explain "You make me want to be a better man." I don't understand Japanese at all but you can hear a vulnerability in his voice. The simplicity of the composition allows for the listener to catch all his runs. Following Better Man is a mid tempo jam that sounds like Jun. K and Changddai were inspired after a night of listening to the B side of various albums of the 80s and 90s. I don't know what the sound is called. Its Pop. Its got that 80s flavor, but 90s mid tempo... it doesn't know if it is a dance track or a slow jam. Regardless it is catchy. Track 4 is called Walking on the the Moon. After Mr. Doctor on his first mini album I thought Walking on the Moon would be similar in the psychedelic hip hop trip that was Mr. Doctor (a song featured on Hot 97, like seriously a Japanese rap song on an American Hip Hop station that is a major accomplishment) but with his raspy voice I was again reminded of singers like KCi and Sisqo. Jun. K and another producer BoyToy put together a composition of trumpets, pianos, and drums creating a melodic true R&B/ Hip Hop infusion that although isn't as Psychedelic as Mr. Doctor it is still funky. Which leads us to the last track "Hold Me Tight" which is 100% slow jam, but because its Jun. K it is a little cabaretish too.... I get lost in his vocals, I can't help it.
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| Jun. K with his dogs Denver and Noopy |
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